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THE TRAGEDY 



OF 



POMPEY THE GREAT 



BY 



JOHN MASEFIELD 



BOSTON 
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 

1910 



THE TRAGEDY OF 
POMPEY THE GREAT 



THE TRAGEDY 



OF 



POMPEY THE GREAT 



BY 
JOHN MASEFIELD 



BOSTON 
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY 

1910 



^h" 



Copyright, 1910, 
By John Masefiei.d. 



If'" 



All rights\rcsirved 



r 

©GI.D 2 780 



THE DNIVERglTY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, tJ. S. A. 



TO 

MY WIFE 



ARGUMENT 

In the years 50 and 49 B.C., Cneius Pompeius Magnus, the head 
of the patrician party, contested with C. Julius Caesar, the popular 
leader, for supreme power in the State. Their jealously led to 
the troubles of the Civil War, in which, after many battles, Cneius 
Pompeius Magnus was miserably killed. 

Act I. The determination of Pompeius to fight with his 
rival then marching upon Rome. 

Act II. Tlie triumph of Pompey's generalship at Dyrra- 
chium. His overthrow by the generals of his staff. His 
defeat at Pharsalia. 

Act III. The death of that great ruler on the seashore of 
Pelusium in Egypt. 



PERSONS 

Antistia. 

Philip. 

A Lute-Girl. 

Cornelia. 

Julia. 

Q. Caecilius Metellus Pius Scipio. 

Cneius Pompeius Magnus (called Pompey the Great). 

Cneius Pompeius Theophanes. 

Marcus Porcius Cato. 

A Gaulish Lancer. 

Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus. 

CoTTA, a Centurion. 

Marcus Acilius Glabrio. 

Lucius Lucceius. 

Lucius Afranius. 

PuBLius Lentulus Spintheb. 

A Ship-Captain. 

A Ship-Boy. 

A Mate. 

A Boatswain. 

Achillas Egyptian. 

Lucius Septimius. 

Centurions, Sentries, Soldiers, Trumpeters, Sailors. 

Scene. Time. 

Act L Rome. January a.u.c. 705 (B.C. 50). 

A TT i Dyrrachium. July A.u.c. 706. 

ACT ii. -^ Pharsalia. August A.u.c. 709 (June 

B.C. 48). 

Act. III. Pelusium. September a.u.c. 706 (Aug. 

B.C. 48). 



THE TRAGEDY OF 

POMPEY THE GREAT 



ACT I 

A room in Pompey's house near Rome. Walls hung with draperies 
of a dark blue. Doors curtained. Balcony, open, showing 
distant lights. A gong and mallet. Wine, glasses, etc. 
Papers in a casket. Lamps. 

Horns without as troops pass. Antistia ailone, lighting lamps 
with a taper. 

ANTISTIA \looMng toivards the window']. More soldiers. 
Blow your horns. Spread your colours, ensign. Your 
colours '11 be dust the sooner. Your breath will be in the 
wind, a little noise in the night. That 's what you come to, 
soldiers. Dust, and a noise in the trees. Dust, and the 
window rattling. No more flags and horns then. [Light- 
ing the last lamp.'] I wish I knew the rights of it. [Set- 
tling hooks on tahle.] I wish Philip would come. 

A VOICE [without, in the halcony], Pompey. 

ANTISTIA. Wliat was that? 

THE VOICE. Pompey. 

ANTISTIA [frightened]. Who calls Pompey? 

THE VOICE. Not so loud. Not so loud, Pompey. 

ANTISTIA. What is it ? What d' you want with Pom- 
pey? 

THE VOICE. Philip must tell Pompey at once. 

ANTISTIA. What must he tell him ? 

THE VOICE. To stamp his foot at once. 

ANTISTIA. To stamp his foot at once ? 

THE VOICE [amid laughter]. Stamp your foot, Pompey. 
Aha ! Ha ! Pompey. 

ANTISTIA [going to the window]. What's this? Who 
are you ? 

THE VOICE [going] . Aha ! Pompey. Stamp your feet, 
Pompey. 



10 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

ANTisTiA [going to a door R. scared']. Philip, Philip. 

PHILIP [putting down tray]. What's the matter? 
What 's ha^jpened ? 

ANTISTIA. There was a voice. A voice. Something at 
the window. Jeering Pompey. 

PHILIP [opening ivindow]. Come out of that. There's 
no one there now. Was it a man? 

ANTISTIA. There was no one. It had a man's voice. It 
spoke. It laughed. 

PHILIP. It 's gone. It 's gone, my dear. Don't. Don't. 
It 's gone. 

ANTISTIA. They say that the dead come back. To cry 
in the night [pause] whenever bad times are coming. Dead 
men's souls. They want blood. Licking. Licking blood 
in the night. Whenever Eome 's in danger. 

PHILIP. Hush. Hush. Don't talk such things. It 
gives them life. What was it saying? 

THE VOICE. Stamp your foot, Pompey. Stamp your 
foot, Pompey. 

ANTISTIA. Ah ! 

PHILIP [exorcising at window, with things from tray]. 
Wine for blood. [Pours wine.] Bread for flesh. [Breaks 
tread.] Salt for life. [Flings salt.] A cloak of blue on 
Eome. A net of gold over this house. To the desert. To 
the night without stars. To the wastes of the sea. To the 
two-forked flame. [Returning heavily.] God save my dear 
master, Pompey. I fear there 's trouble coming. 

ANTISTIA [hysterically]. Ah! Ah! 

PHILIP [pouring ivater]. Drink this. Drink this. I '11 
fetch another glass. 

ANTISTIA [hysterically]. Not off that tray. Not off 
that tray. 

PHILIP, There. There. God save us ! Why, Antistia, 
they 've no power. 

ANTISTIA. I see the marching of armies. Dust. Dust. 
That is what the trumpets mean. War. Civil War. 
Pompey and Csesar. Like eagles struggling. 

PHILIP. No, No. Don't say that. You bring things 
to pass. 

ANTISTIA. What else could it mean? "What did it 
mean ? 

PHILIP [distractedly]. I don't rightly know what it 
said. 

ANTISTIA. About stamping? About Pompey stamping ? 



I] POMPEY THE GEEAT 11 

PHILIP. Pompey said it. In the Senate yesterday. 
Reports came in. There was a panic. The Senators were 
at their wits' ends. News came that Caesar was marching 
on Eome. They asked Pompey if he had an army. If he 
could defend them. 

ANTISTIA. Is Csesar coming ? 

PHILIP. It was one of these wild rumours. 

ANTISTIA. What did Pompey say? 

PHILIP. He said if he stamped his foot, soldiers would 
spring up all over Italy. Armies of soldiers. To drive 
Csesar back into Gaul. 

ANTISTIA. And now he must stamp his foot. Caesar 's 
on the road with his array. 

PHILIP. It 's time for the house to shake when the door- 
posts quarrel. [Pausing at distant tumult.'] 

ANTISTIA. They 're proud ones, to set the world on fire 
so as one of them may warm his hands. 

PHILIP. Pompey 's only defending the State. 

ANTISTIA [to Cwsar's husf]. Make the deserts quags 
of blood, Caesar. Go on in your pride. Till the Kings of 
the world sweep your stables. You '11 come to be a dumb 
thing, tied in a sheet, carried out foot-foremost. You 
won't know whether it 's tar or spice they '11 smear you 
with, to make you burn. And when you 're dust, you '11 fill 
a little pot, Caesar, a little metal pot on a shelf. Go pray, 
man. The primrose the rabbit eats will be a prouder thing 
than Caesar that day. 

PHILIP [at hust]. He thinks he's a great one, Caesar 
does, now that he 's conquered Gaul. What are the Gauls ? 
The Gauls are naked heathen, with copper swords like the 
savages. Why, Caesar would never have been anybody if 
Pompey had n't backed him. 

ANTISTIA. That 's reason enough for him to fight Pom- 
pey now. 

PHILIP. Pompey made him what he is. Pompey got 
him his place in Gaul. He was no one before that. [Pause.] 
And now he hopes to put Pompey down. So he can rule 
Eome instead. Put my master Pompey down. 

ANTISTIA. I suppose Caesar couldn't beat Pompey, 
Philip ? 

PHILIP. Antistia. [Solemnhj.'] Don't you talk like 
that, Antistia. I believe wherever Pompey goes, there goes 
a god in front of him. Like fire. It 's that makes him 
what he is. Oh, my dear beloved master. I 'm that drove 



12 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

mad, I can't hardly talk of it. That he should have a civil 
war with Cassar. And him only newly married. 

ANTisTiA. It was a civil war that first made Pompey 
famous, Philip. 

PHILIP. He was with Sulla, against Marius. In the 
civil wars then. And ever since then he 's gone on. Just 
as though a god went before him, brushing a road for him. 
You would see nothing but dangers all round. And Pompey 
would ride up. And [he blows in his hand'] puff. They 'd 
fade. They 'd go. [Panse.l I 've seen all Eome out on 
the roofs to see my master, Pompey. Triumph? There 
were horns blowing, you could n't hear. And forty kings 
marching barefoot in the streets. I 've seen him grow to be 
the greatest man in the world. 

ANTISTIA. Eh? The greatest man in the world. And 
all through being with Sulla in the civil war. Supposing he 
were not great, Philip. Only a big clay statue. A statue 
propped up by sticks. A clay thing, gilded. Rats gnaw- 
ing at it. The wind shaking it. The sun cracking it. 
[Pause.] And dead men, Philip. Dead men underneath 
it in the dust, fumbling at it to bring it down. 

PHILIP. Antistia. 

ANTISTIA. Time brings all about they say. You spoke of 
Sulla, Philip. I was a little girl then, when Marius and 
Sulla fought. My father was a centurion under Marius. 
I never told you that. What do you know of me, Philip, 
except uhat I 'm to marry you? I was in the street outside 
our house, and some men came across the road. They pat- 
ted my head and asked if my father was upstairs. I said 
yes, Philip. And they went in and brought him out. Out 
to the door in the sun. Some boys gathered to watch. I 
ran up to him, Philip, to show him my doll. And one of 
the men said, ' We '11 give you Marius.' He was behind my 
father. He swung his arm right back like this, to give his 
sword a sweep. He knocked my dada down with a great 
hack on the neck, and they all stabbed him as he fell. One 
of the men said, ' There 's your dada, little girl ; run and tell 
mother.' And then one of the boys knelt down and stole 
his sandals, and another snatched my doll away. Time 
brings all about, Philip. All the lives spilt then by Pom- 
pey and Sulla. They are coming out of the night. Out of 
Spain. Out of Rome. Out of Asia. Souls have power, 
Philip, even in the darkness, when the time comes. 



I] POMPEY THE GEEAT 13 

PHILIP [awed]. What time? 

ANTisTiA. Pompey's time. There. There. It 's begin- 
ning. [Noise of a tumult. The horns of Soldiers.] They 
begin like that, Philip. Trumpets. Trumpets. Scarlet 
scarves on the brass. Brass on strong men's' bodies. 
They 're very proud. For things that go from the prison of 
a womb to the prison under the grass, they 're very proud. 
When they march to the trumpet, they forget that women 
bore them. Women bore them in agony. Not for that, 
one would think. 

PHILIP [at window]. Some of Eome seems to be burn- 
ing. Pray God the Senate 's safe. [Pause.] We shall 
have to put off our marriage, Antistia. 

ANTISTIA. Why, thus it is. We put off and put off till 
youth 's gone, and strength 's gone, and beauty 's gone. Till 
two dry sticks mumble by the fire together, wondering what 
there was in life, when the sap ran. 

PHILIP. I must be with my master, Antistia. 

ANTISTIA. Your master. Wlien you kiss the dry old 
hag, Philip, you '11 remember these arms that lay wide on 
the bed, waiting, empty. Years. You '11 remember this 
beauty. All this beauty. That would have borne you 
sons; but for your master. [A noise of a lute off.] Your 
mistress too, perhaps. Here she comes. Here comes the 
young wife, that will have little joy of her man. She with 
her lute girl, twanging a march for her. Here she comes. 
Open the door. 

PHILIP. Our mistress. 

Enter, preceded hy a Lute-player (girl), cornelia and 
JULIA. The Servants place chairs for the ladies. 
The Lutenist stands. 

CORNELIA. That will do, Antistia. Philip, your master 
will need an escort from the Senate-house. Please tell the 
Captain of the Guard. [Exeunt philip and antistia. 

JULIA. Why do 'you always have music when you walk 
about ? I mean, what 's your idea ? 

CORN. That? [Pause.] When my first husband was 
abroad with the army. In Parthia. Before he was killed. 
I used to have music. When you are thinking of some one, 
music seems to point your thoughts right into the person's 
heart. Does n't it ? Music is very wonderful. And then 
it is a part of law. It times one's thoughts to law. 



14 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

JULIA. That 's where you are so wonderful. I suppose 
that is what life really is. To time one's thoughts to law, 
as you say. But tell me. What's going to happen? Is 
Cassar really going to fight your husband, or is it only a feint 
to get your husband out of Eome ? I suppose it 's all right ? 
She does n't understand ? 

CORN. No. Oh, no. I don't know what to think, Julia. 
He 's a real danger. He 's got such power with the mob. 
He appeals to the very dregs of the populace. 

JULIA. I think all such appeals show such a want of 
imagination. 

CORN. He 's got this great army in Gaul, just on our 
borders. Of course, that 's a very great menace. 

JULIA. But what do you suppose his plans are? What 
does he want? 

CORN. He wants to rule Eome as a Dictator. But he 
plans first to be elected Consul. He is lying in Gaul there, 
thinking, I think, to frighten every one into electing him. 
You can tell, from that one fact, how unsafe law and prop- 
erty would be if he were elected. 

JULIA. Yes. Of course. For of course all his mob of 
followers would want plunder. I wish you could make 
your husband put down all this rioting. [Noise ivithout.l 

CORN. I 'm afraid it does us no good. But my hus- 
band 's so much loved, there 's always a crowd outside the 
Senate. 

JULIA. And then Caesar's party tries to drive them away, 
I suppose. 

CORN. Yes. Pickpocket politics. Theophanes calls it. 
I forget. Have you met Theophanes ? 

JULIA. The Greek historian? He 's stopping with you? 
No, I never met him. What sort of man is he? 

CORN. One cannot help admiring him. He believes so 
tremendously in the future of Eome. He 's a great admirer 
of my husband. 

JULIA. What are his books like ? I 've heard so much 
about them. 

CORN. They 're very interesting. He thinks that a state 
like Eome, which is strong enough to create law, should 
impose her law all over the world. 

JULIA. I see. What does your husband think? 

CORN. He thinks that Theophanes is right, up to a cer- 
tain point. But he 's beginning to feel that the Colonies 
never become really Eoman. They are little bad bits of 



I] POMPEY THE GREAT 15 

Borne planted down in the wilds. They attract the idle 
young men who want to escape the responsibilities of 
modern life. And the army is the same. Patriotism is no 
longer a duty. It is an opportunity for disorderly living. 

JULIA. For hysteria. 1 know that hysterical verse they 
write. I picture a little low mannikin, whose mind strides 
a war-horse because his body strides a stool. He avenges 
bloodily the destiny he dare n't alter. 

CORN, [going to the tvindotv']. I wish my father would 
come in, Julia. I 'm anxious about the debate. What has 
the Senate decided? [She walks up and down.'\ 

JULIA. Of course the Senate will decide that Cgesar must 
dismiss his army. I don't think it 's anything to make 
you anxious. How is your father? WTiat does he think? 

CORN. He thinks that my husband ought to put Cffisar 
down with a strong hand. Of course my father sees things 
only from a military point of view. Soldiers so seldom 
have large ideas about things. They run very much into 
two types, the popular and common type, and the aloof and 
formal type. The one leads, the other directs. 

JULIA. Yes. And then the belonging to a caste must 
be so bad for them. And having power over people's lives 
without having any fine ideas about life. But your father 
always seems to me to be distinctly a man of ideas. 

A VOICE WITHOUT. Present arms. 

CORN. Who's that? Come in. [The door is shaken 
and opened violently.~\ 

Enter her father, metellus scipio. 

Father. 

JULIA. We were just talking about you. 

MET. Where 's your husband ? Is he here ? Has he 
been here? 

CORN. No, father. What is it? 

MET. Still at the house? He must have had my note. 
Has he sent round to you? 

CORN. No. Whoi has happened? 

MET. I must talk to you, Cornelia. 

JULIA [rising'] . Goodbye, dear. It 's been so nice see- 
ing you. 

MET. No. No, Cornelia. She must n't go. You 'U 
have to sleep here, my dear girl. The streets are n't safe 
to-night. Sit down. Please sit down. We 're all in the 



16 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

same boat. \_Pause.'] Cornelia. What's your husband 
going to do? 

CORN. Father. But I don't know. He tells me noth- 
ing. Nothing at least that is not common knowledge. 

MET. I 've had letters. Caesar 's advancing into Italy. 
With all his army. 

CORN. To fight us? To attack Eome? 

MET. Yes. It 's what I always feared. But I never 
thought the man would be such a blackguard. 

JULIA. But I suppose when one has a gang of cut- 
throats, it 's hard to resist the temptation. 

CORN. Does my husband know of this? 

MET. Yes. I sent word to him at the Senate to meet 
me here. I had to ride out to the camp. Cornelia. I 
don't understand your husband. My dear girl, he's been 
playing with the situation. I don't think you understand 
even now. It means that the whole of Rome is being hand- 
ed over to a political brigand. All the governing classes, 
the religion of our fathers, all that has made Eome great. 
This cut-throat is marching to destroy it. Something hap- 
pened at the camp. 

CORN. What, father? 

MET. The men. The soldiers. Eoman soldiers. Men 
who had eaten the bread and salt. They refused duty. 
Eomans. Bribed to that. By this upstart, Caesar. 

CORN. They will stand and see Eome sacked by this out- 
law. 

JULIA. But how terrible. Have we no defence at all 
then? 

MET. I must see your husband. He's played with us. 
He must save us. 

CORN. There. There. He 's coming. There 's the sen- 
try. 

A VOICE WITHOUT. Attention. Eyes right. 

MET. Thank God. 

A VOICE WITHOUT. Present arms. 

CRIES. Hail! Pompey. Imperator. \_A trumpet blows 
a flourish.'] 

A VOICE WITHOUT. Company. By the right. Quick. 
March. 

PHILIP enters, opening doors wide, saluting, showing the 
fasces lining the door. Enter pompey. He car- 
ries a despatch box. metellus salutes. 

[Exit PHILIP. Doors shut 



I] POMPEY THE GEEAT 17 

POMPEY. Ah, Julia. Ah, Cornelia. fHe goes to her, 
and lools into her eyes.'] Ah, beloved. [Slowly.li There 
will be always peace for me. In that calm soul. ITurning 
wearily.'] I think that Sertorious was right, Julia. 

JULIA. Why ? 

POMPEY. In our long Spanish wars. He planned to 
steal away. With that white fawn which followed him. 
To the Fortunate Islands. He could be quiet a little there. 
\_He goes to table dejectedly.] 

MET. You got my note ? 

POMPEY. Yes. Yes. [He sits liJce one stunned.] 

MET. Man. What are you going to do ? Casar 's march- 
ing on Eome with forty thousand men. 

CORN. But you can check him. You must, 

MET. Do you understand ? The whole — Does the 
Senate know? 

POMPEY [opening his despatch hox]. Sit down, dear. 
[To coENELiA.] Sit down. The Senate knows. There 
were seven hundred of us in the Senate. Seven hundred 
of the best men in Eome, sitting there, at sunset, waiting. I 
had to stand up, among them. I had to tell them that one 
who — that a man whom I — a man very dear to me — 
was marching. With an army. Against this Eome. To 
destroy all that that great house, in generations of honour, 
has built up here, of virtue, of justice, of freedom, to the 
wonder of the world. 

MET. Yes. Go on. Go on. 

CORN. What are they going to do ? 

POMPEY. Many there were in the pay of — that man. 

MET. How did they take it ? 

POMPEY. They were silent. But a murmur ran through 
the house. They moved in their chairs. Even those most 
glad were awed. [Pause.] Then Tullus, a man who owes 
his bread to me. He is in Cesar's pay now. Eose up smil- 
ing. To ask me what troops I had for the defence of Eome. 

MET. Yes. And you, tlie guardian of Eome, what troops 
have you ? 

POMPEY. I said that with the two legions sent back from 
Gaul, and with those reserves called up from the country, I 
might have thirty thousand men. 

UET. What is all this talk of you might have? Those 
two legions are in CjBsar's pay. They 're in mutiny at the 
camp. They 're drawn up there. Eanged under the eagles. 
Their colonels are Caesar's, body and soul. They refuse 



18 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

to move. As for your reserves, they 're with the people. 
They 're all for Caesar. They came crowding out of their 
tents crying, Peace ! Peace ! They won't fight. You 've 
mocked us. You 've tricked us. You 've betrayed Eome. 

POMPEY. So they said in the Senate. 

MET. Why did you not prepare for this? You've had 
months in which to prepare ? 

POMPEY. I have prepared for it, Metellus. But I did 
not expect it, I thought that a noble act would be remem- 
bered, for more than twenty years. I thought that this 
Eome would be more to a man than a lust for power. And 
old friendship, I thought, something. 

MET. I 've no patience with you. [fl'e sits with twitch- 
ing hands.^ 

JULIA. It 's too late to say anything now, of course ; but 
don't you think that as a rule it is always wrong to expect 
a generous feeling in an opponent; particularly if the op- 
ponent happens to bs on the side of the poor? The poor 
never like the generous or intellectual man. They 're like 
us. They like an excessive image of themselves. They like 
a prize-fighter, like — well, like Caesar. Or a bookmaking 
publican. Or a common demagogue who can attack an ideal 
of life for them. 

CORN. But that 's mere pessimism, Julia. 

MET. [starting up]. Well. We know what you haven't 
done. At least tell us what you have done. 

POMPEY. Yes. I '11 tell you, Metellus. [Pause.'] When 
this began between us. I thought of my own time under 
Sulla. I 'd carry the eagles into Africa. Westward. To 
the great sea. I was a young man, then. I did rash things. 
But I was lucky. I conquered Africa. Sulla sent word to 
me then to disband my army, and return. [To julia 
and CORNELIA.] Eorgive my talking of myself like this. 
[Pause.] I thought that my luck was due to genius. I was 
very vain, then, Cornelia. There 's not much vanity in me 
at this moment. I resented Sulla's order. My soldiers 
resented it. They asked me to be their King in Africa. 
There 's a kind of nobleness blowing about the world. Into 
people's hearts. Into the minds of poets. Strangers from 
the city of wisdom. I obeyed Sulla. I thought — if I did 
— it might be easier — for the next young conqueror — to 
obey, too. Not to cause civil war. 

CORN. He thought — we both thought, father, that 
CiKsar would remember that. We had planned how all our 



1] POMPEY THE GREAT 19 

party, all the Senate even, should go out into the fields to 
welcome Csesar. As Sulla welcomed my husband then. If 
he came home alone. Disbanding his army. That would 
have been a triumph for Ceesar greater than any Consulship. 
But Cfesar only thinks in terms of men and women. He is 
not really a man of ideas. His vision of political grandeur 
is a lot of old soldiers, each with his state-allotment of 
kitchen garden. He would see the glory of Rome pass 
rather than not see that. 

POMPEY. I did not think that Cfesar would be blind to 
the glory of Rome [going to the window^. 0, you splendid 
city full of lights ! And the river where the ships go. 
Splendid swift ships, going over the world with Romans. 
In the spring, the birds come from the south, Metellus. 
From Africa. From the great woods of Ophir. They fly 
high over Rome. And they go on. They fly many 
myriads of miles, always northward, till they settle down 
in wild lands, in Britain, in farthest Gaul, among people 
who cannot build. In the woods in the south from which 
they come, the people cannot build ; they go in beasts' skins. 
They poison their spears. Yet, Metellus, between those 
two points, north and south, and as far to the east and west, 
farther than the trembling of the great tide, when the moon 
fills, it is all Roman. It all came from these seven sacred 
hills. Roman law. Roman truth. Roman peace. Built 
up by us. Out of our blood. 

MET. This comes from that Greek writer-fellow. I '11 
quote some other words to you. Something which you said 
once in Sicily. ' What is all this talk of law,' you said, ' to 
us that have swords by our sides ? ' AVhat ? You remember 
those words ? Will you sit still, and see Rome sacked ? See 
the rabble make beastly all that seven centuries has made 
here ? See their filthy hands laid — laid on these delicate 
ladies? See our temples spoiled that their rat-faced brats 
may grow up to eat free bread, and loaf and spit outside the 
beer-shops. Pah! What did the Senate say? 

POMPEY. They gave me absolute power here. 

MET. What? Then send out your press. Bill every 
able-bodied man. Bill the women if the men won't come. 

POMPEY. No, Metellus. Not that. 

MET. ^Vhat then, man ? [cornelia mier;?oses. Speak- 
ing to her husband.^ 

CORN. It is a question now, dear heart, of standing for 
the right. The right side is always the weaker side. War 



20 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

is terrible. It 's such a loathsome kind of spiritual death. 
But it is better to have war, than to see law set aside. Law- 
is such a wonderful thing. The will of Eome. Think of 
it. That must not be slighted. I don't mean the popular 
cry. That is all for Ctesar now, dear. It was all for you 
once. It will be again. I mean all the burning thought 
of so many generations of our fathers. That must not be set 
aside for the lust of one man. It is the duty of a Roman, 
dear heart, to go out under the eagles to defend that burn- 
ing thought, tlie Will of Eome. Even if he goes alone. 
And you will not go alone. The souls of our fathers will 
march with you. And if you die, dear one, defending what 
they died to make, you will die as I would have my lover 
die. 

POMPEY. Ah! Cornelia. You make death hard. But 
it would be sweet to die so for you. To die. To join that 
Senate of the old Eomans ; the wise ones. To bring them 
news of Eome there. In the shadows. 

CORN. Saying that you come crowned. Having played 
the Eoman. ' Having obeyed tlieir laws.' 

POMPEY. Ah! Like the Spartans. Einged in with 
spears. There in the rocks. [Going to window. ~\ 

MET. [quichhj']. Go on, girl. Oh, move him, Cornelia. 
Goad him to action. I cannot. For Eome's sake. Move 
him. Get him out of this child's mood. 

POMPEY. Yes. Yes. Yes. [Slowly.^ I shall fight 
Caesar. [Sharply.'] 

MET. Ah ! [Excitedly.'] But at once. Give him no 
time to win recruits by success. Give them no time here. 
The rabble don't hesitate. They don't understand a man 
who hesitates. Give me all the cavalry. Look. I '11 mount 
six cohorts of slingers. I can worry him with those. 

POMPEY. "WHiere 's the map ? [He quickly takes map 
from tvall.] It 's the effect here, not the beating of Csesar. 
We must stiffen the towns against him. Show them that 
they '11 have to back their choice with their blood. That '11 
check his advance. 

MET. Caesar's quick, mind. He marches light, and he 
comes a devil of a pace. [Musingly.] 

POMPEY. You say he 's got forty thousand men ? Let 's 
see your despatch. 'Who sent it? [Taking paper.] Can 
you trust this man? 

MET. Yes. A clever young fellow. 
POMPEY. Young ? Where 's he served ? 



^o 



ij POMPEY THE GEEAT 31 

MET. He was on Crassus' staff in Parthia. In the 
smash. 

POMPEY. I don't trust ghosts. 

MET. Ghosts ? 

POMPEY. What escapes when an army's destroyed like 
Crassns's? [Reading.] Forty thousand men. Shrewd. 
This is a shrewd lad, Metellus. He 's read a lot of school- 
books, this man. Come. Forty thousand ? 

MET. Yes. 

POMPEY. No. It 's not possible, Metellus. This is 
politics. Not war. He 's forcing our hand. His army 's 
miles away. He 's rushing the frontier with a few picked 
men. The pick of his light foot, and these light Gaulish 
lancers. It 's a bold dash to put all Kome in a panic. 

MET [biting his nails]. That's not what you'd have 
done. 

POMPEY. That 's how I know I 'm right. [Standvig.] 
Take the cavalrv. Get into touch with him. Harass him. 
Hang on to him. Worry him all the time. I '11 come on 
with all I can get. 

MET. Take the gladiators. 

POMPEY. No. This is a Eoman question. No paid 
slaves shall decide Pome's fate. 

MET. We shall be a desperate lot without them. 

CORN. The Navy. Laud men from the ships. 

MET. They can't march. This campaign is a race. 

POMPEY. No. No. Look. [Excitedly.'] 1 '11 send 
gallopers to the fleet at Brindisi. I '11 tell them to lash 
north, forced rowing. They 'd catch him at Pisaurum. 
Tliey could cut in on his left flank. So much for the at- 
tack. The city here 's the problem. 

MET. Damn the city here. The city 's for the winner. 
Always. 

POMPEY [musing]. Cfssar's got an army in occupation 
here already. Now to secure Pome. 

MET [quicJi-ly]. The patricians. Let the patricians 
form a Committee of Public Safety. They '11 settle 
Cassar's mobs. 

CORN. No. No. There 'd be massacre all over Kome. 
All frightened men are merciless. 

MET. Be quiet, girl. Yes, man. 

POMPEY. No. That 's the wild thing the desperate man 
always does to make his cause more desperate. It would 
madden the mob against us. Our task is to win the mob. 



22 THE TEAGEDY OP [act 

CORN. Leave Cato in command here. 

MET. What ? 

CORN. Let Cato raise a force purely to defend Eome. 
Not a party force at all. 

POMPEY, Yes, Cato. He stands outside parties. He 
has power over both. 

MET. No, I say. Power? The only power that old 
fraud has. Bah ! He reminds every one of grandpapa. 
That 's why he 's popular. 

POMPEY. It 's popularity that 's wanted. 

MET. It 's power that 's wanted. A few crucified muti- 
neers. Not grandpapa giving out buns and telling them of 
good King Numa. 

POMPEY [picking up the hammer of his gong']. We'll 
send for Cato. 

MET. No. No. 

POMPEY. Yes. I 

MET. Wait a minute, 

POMPEY. Well ? 

MET. We want a soldier here. 

POMPEY. We want a man whom everybody can trust. 

MET. Cato 's not firm enough. 

POMPEY. I want Rome calm, not intimidated. 

MET. I am not going to serve if that man 's left behind 
in Rome. 

POMPEY. Oh, don't say that. What are your reasons 
against Cato? In this instance. 

MET. How will Cato deal with the mutineers in camp? 

POMPEY. Ah ! There. [Pause.'] Yes. We can 't be 
hard on those poor fellows. Try and see it as they see it. 
They 've had the choice of refusing duty or beginning a civil 
war. 

MET. A soldier's first duty is obedience. 

POMPEY. Is it ? I 'd rather have him a man first, my- 
self. Only very good soldiers mutiny. Did you never notice 
that? 

MET. No. Nor you. They must be made examples of. 

POMPEY [smiling]. Come. Some wine, Metellus. 

MET. [cross/?/]. This is n't a time for wine. [He stall's 
up and down the room.] Suppose we 're beaten. I tell 
you if we 're beaten you '11 want more than old Father Goo 
Goo here. You '11 want a man to stamp out Caesar's fac- 
tion. I 'd stop their smiling. By the time Coesar stormed 
Rome he 'd find few of his friends left. I 'd make Rome so 
sick with blood. By. She 'd think no more of Cssar. 



I] : POMPEY THE GEEAT 23 

POMPEY. My God ! The streets ran blood. In Sulla's 
time. That once. The carts drove over them. 

MET. That was knuckle bones to what this will be. 

POMPEY. Yes. Suppose we 're beaten. Eome stormed. 
No, no, never ! [He flings the map aside.] No. I '11 give 
up Italy rather. I will not fight in Italy. Caesar's rabble 
shall have no excuse for sacking Eome. 

MET. What? [A Pause.] Where will you fight him 
then? In Spain, where your army is? 

CORN. Not in Spain. 

MET. Why not in Spain? 

POMPEY. No. You knoAv the proverb. Spain 's a 
country where a big army starves and a little army gets 
beaten. I know, I 've fought there. And it 's far from 
Eome, and too near Gaul. No, Macedonia. We '11 go over 
with the fleet to Macedonia. There are five good legions of 
Crassus's smash in Macedonia. We '11 prepare an army 
there. 

MET. Yes. But your friends in Eome. Our party 
here? The Senate? The Consuls? 

POMPEY. They must come with us at once to Brindisi, 
where the fleet lies. We'll take ship there. [Writing.] 
I 'm writing to Domitius at Corfinium, to join me instantly 
with his twenty cohorts. [Musing.] I wonder. If he 
stays, he will be invested. And he will stay, he 's as ob- 
stinate as a mule. If he marches south at once we shall 
have twenty thousand. If not, we must leave him to his 
fate. I must abandon Italy. 

MET. [slowly]. There's something in it. Yes. I won- 
der. 

POMPEY. It's not so risky. Fighting now is backing 
losing cards. 

MET. We shall lose friends. 

POMPEY. We shall gain time. 

MET. Let 's see the map. [He taJces another map.] I 
like it. Yes. It 's a good move. 

POMPEY. Csesar will attack my army in Spain, first. 

MET. Afraid of its invading his dear Gaul, you mean? 

POMPEY. He '11 have no choice in the matter. He 's got 
no ships to follow us. I've got the Navy. \ATiile he's 
building ships, I '11 build an army. If he fights my gen- 
erals in Spain, it will be a year before he can follow me. 
We shall have a great army by that time. 



£4 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

MET. Yes. An amiy, eh? Macedonian phalanx, eh? 
We '11 send out a fiery sign through Macedonia. All the 
swordsmen of the hills will come. Out of Dacia, out of 
Thrace. Jove, what an army ! With Egypt at your back, 
too. 

POMPEY. Yes. Egypt 's full of my old soldiers. We 
can always fall back on King Ptolemy. [He becomes sadJ\ 
Ah, well. Ah, well. 

CORN, What is it ? 

POMPEY [gzu'c/r/^]. ISTothing. [He rises. '\ I was think- 
ing of all this kingliness wandering in little wild Greek 
towns. 

CORN. The kingly mind always lives in a kingly city. 

POMPEY [ea^er/y/]. Ah! Who said that? 

CORN. You said it. 

POMPEY. Ah. Where 's the fire that scatters those 
sparks? Why doesn't it burn in us always? 

MET. [excitedly^. It's burning now. Look here. Lis- 
ten. Look here. Your idea of Macedonia. Splendid ! 

MET. Cffisar won't follow. [Slapping the table.'] He 'II 
be afraid. Part the world between you. Let Cffisar keep 
the West. You be King in the East. Build up another 
Eome in Athens. With you in the East, we could do what 
Alexander did. We could 

POMPEY. No more ambitions, Metellus. You see where 
ambition leads. 

MET. [flushed']. You wait till you see those Dacians. 
Big, black clean-limbed fellows, Julia, with swords and steel 
shields. They charge like cavalry. [He fills ivine.] 

POMPEY. So, Macedonia. 

MET. Yes, Macedonia. 

CORN. When ? 

POMPEY. Kow, dear. 

CORN. To-night ? 

POMPEY. It doesn't give you much time. It will be 
hard for you to leave all your pretty things behind. 

CORN. I was thinking about your night's rest. Life is 
book and picture to me. All that is Eome to us comes with 
us. 

MET. Well then [rolling up the map with a clich], boot 
and saddle. 

POMPEY. Take what men you have, Metellus. And 
press post horses. You '11 want my orders though. [He 
strikes the gong. 



I] POMPEY THE GEE AT 25 

Enter philip. 

PHILIP. Sir. 

POMPEY. Ask Theophanes to speak to me a moment. 

[^Exit PHILIP. 

MET. That Greek writer-fellow. I don't know how you 
stand that man. 

Enter theophanes, who tows and is saluted. 

POMPEY. Sit down. [^He tal-es papers from despatch 
box.] We're going to Macedonia. We take ship at Brin- 
disi. These orders to our party. Have them filled in and 
sent round. 

TPiEO. Yes. But you won't want them. 

POMPEY. You mean that — What do you mean ? 

THEO. I mean, you won't want them. Caesar 's at Cre- 
mona. He 's not marching on Rome. He 's encamped in 
his own province. It was a false alarm. 

ALL. What ? 

POMPEY. How do you know that ? 

THEO. Labienus has just come in. Caesar's right-hand 
man. I 've been talking to him. Cresar 's sending mes- 
sengers with new proposals to you. He 's not marching on 
Eome. 

MET. So we go on again. 

POMPEY. What are the new proposals? Does he know? 

THEO. [shrugging his shoulders^. His men are begin- 
ning to shrink, I suppose, now that it comes to the touch. 
I don't blame 'em. A private on a cross is not a pretty 
sight. 

JULIA. Do you think it's an excuse to gain time? 

CORN. Ah, no, Julia. Let us give Caesar credit for a 
little nobleness. 

MET. Pah ! He was in Catiline's conspiracy. It was 
proved beyond a doubt. Well, Pompey. What are you 
• going to do ? 

POMPEY. It is very wonderful. I must see Cato. [Go- 
ing.] 

MET. The lath and plaster Spartan. "WHiy? 

THEO. He 's here. 

CATO, in hlacJc robes, enters. He stands tvith arms folded, 

looking at them all. 



26 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

MET. Well, sir? 

POMPEY. Yes, Cato? 

CORN. You 've heard ? AVon't you sit down ? 

CATO. So this is the family party. Well, Pompey. Now 
I see the drags that hinder your honesty. [To julia.] 
You. The critic. You with neither art nor brain. Think- 
ing you show both by condemning them in others. 

JULIA. Do you show art and brain by condemning me? 

CATO. Look into your heart, woman. 

CATO [to Metellus]. You, sir. The General. A tailor 
and a love affair made you a General. Not war. War 
does n't make your kind. But you long for war. You 
would shriek your country into war, any day, sir. So that 
humble brave men might make pickings for you. Invita- 
tions. Gold. What you call love affairs. Fame. [To 
theophanes, tvhile metellus looJiS him up and down.'] 
I don't know you, sir. 

theo. a contributor to Time's waste-paper basket. 

CAT-o. Ah! [To pompey.] And you, the mischief- 
maker, the genius. Well, which of us was right, Pompey? 

POMPEY. You were right. But I have acted more 
friendly than Caesar. 

CATO. You have made the mischief. Can you unmake 
it? * 

POMPEY. Can you unmake it ? 

CATO. I? I am going into Sicily. You forget. I am 
Governor there. 

CORN. But now. In this moment of truce. Surely it 
can be remedied? 

CATO. Yes. At a price. 

POMPEY. How ? 

CATO. You must go alone, on foot, to Caesar. 

POMPEY. Never. 

CATO. And tell him that you come to save Rome from 
civil war. That a man's pride is a little thing to that. And 
that so you have put by jovlV greatness. 

CORN. Ah! Ah! [She watches pompey's face. All 
turn to POMPEY.] 

pompey. No. I have been a King here. I have been 
like God here. Kings have come to me on their knees. 
Caesar. Caesar's. I made Caesar by a stroke of my pen. 
No. Ah, no. 

CATO. Caesar would be shamed to tears, Pompey. Would 
not that victory content you? 



1] POMPEY THE GEEAT 27 

POMPEY. I cannot. ISTo, I cannot. 

CATO. Not to save Rome, Pompey? 

POMPEY. No. I should be a mock. No. No. 

CORN. You would be a fire, Pompey, for all time. All 
the lamps of the world would be kindled at that nobleness. 

POMPEY. You wish it, too, dear heart? 

CORN, [softly]. I wish it. 

POMPEY [looking roiind]. To a young man. Wliom I 
have made. Oh, Cato, Cato ! Is kindness to a friend only 
a bitter form of suicide? [He fumbles at the clasp of his 
purple.'] Very well, I will go, Marcus. [He flings his 
purple aside.] 

CATO. I thought you were Pompey the Little. I wronged 
you. 

MET. [io THEOPHANEs]. So. [They exchange glances.] 

POMPEY. Old man. Old man. 

[A noise without. Cries. A sentry calls ' Halt.' 
Struggling. Shouts of ' Stand hack.' ' Let me in! 
The spears rattle. The door is shaken. 

THEO. [opening door]. What's this? [Pause.] Let 
him in. Sentry. 

Enter filthy Horseman, dust to the eyes, tottering. The 
door is left open, showing Soldiers. 

MET. One of Caesar's lancers. 

THEO. A deserter, eh? 

THE MAN [gasping]. Which of you is the lord? 

POMPEY [pouring wine for him]. I am he. Drink this. 
Take your time. What is it? 

THE MAN [spilling his drink like a man half dead of 
thirst]. Cgesar! Caesar! I escaped last night. Caesar! 

CORN. What ? 

THE MAN. He 's crossed the Eubicon. With all his 
army. Marching on Eome. Be here in two days. 

[A pause. 

POMPEY [resuming his purple]. That settles it. There 
can be no treaty now. 

CORN, So war has begun. 

POMPEY [sadly]. There it is. Only it is more terrible 
now. More terrible than it was. [Turning to go.] It 
must be war now to the end. 

MET. [picking up the orders from the table and slapping 
them to command attention]. And now. To Brindisi. 



28 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

[He wall's hrislchj towards the door, hut halts opposite cato 

at whom he glares, pompey and Cornelia halt to tvatch 

him.] Well, sir. My Conscript Father. Will you crawl 

before Caesar now, sir? It is long since a Eoman bade his 

King to lick the clnst before a traitor. You and your kind 

may sue to such. Eome puts other thoughts into our hearts. 

cato. There are two Eomes, Metellus. One built of 

brick by hodsmen. But the Eome I serve glimmers in the 

uplifted heart. It is a court for the calm gods. That 

Eome. Let me not shame that city. Advance the eagles. 

A VOICE V7ITH0UT. Present arms. 

[A trumpet blows a blast. 

Curtain. 



II] POMPEY THE GREAT 29 

• ACT II 

Scene I 

Staff-officer's tent at Diirazzo. Walls of plain canvas. Canvas 
door running on rings at back R. Smaller canvas door at 
back L. Table and camp-chairs. Everything bare and 
severe. Domitius, Lentulus, Theophanes, at the table. 

DOMiTius. So it goes on. And Spain is lost. He says 
it is part of his plan. It is part of a total want of plan. 
\Ye have lost half the world by not taking the offensive. 

LENTULUS. Look at this despatch from Africa. 

DOMi. Look at this position here. Ccesar has shut us 
in here like so many sheep in a pen. Has Pompey no pride? 
Or has he grown besotted? 

THEOPHANES, Flaccus is raiding Cassar's lines this 
morning. He will attack them in three places. And break 
them. 

DOMI. [fiercely']. Flaccus is a boy. He is making a foray 
with a legion. It is making war like a pedlar to give little 
thrusts like this. Has Pompey no grand comprehensive 
scheme, which will employ all our force? We have ten 
times Caesar's numbers. Wliy not use them instead of send- 
ing out Flaccus to make two or three holes in Caesar's lines ? 
A whole year wasted, and half the empire lost. 

Enter pompey hurriedly. They salute. 

POMPEY. Good morning. I have called you all together 
to tell you of the loss of my Spanisli army, lately command- 
ed by Afranius. We had expected victory, from Afranius' 
letters. But we are soldiers. We know what Fortune is 
in war. We are not merchants, to cast him for failing. 

DOMI. I take it that we are here to discuss that question. 
Before discussing it, we ought to know why the Spains were 
risked. 

LENT. Yes, certainly. 

POMPEY. They were risked in accordance with my plan. 

DOMI. And what is that plan? 

POMPEY. It is no part of a general's duty to explain his 
plans. 

LENT. I disagree, Magnus. 

DOMI. It is his duty. If they menace public safety. 



30 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

We have given up Italy, and thrown away Spain. Africa 
is invaded and Sicily taken. We have given up and drawn 
back everywhere. And why? That we might come here 
to be cooped up by an army half our size. I want to know 
why ? We all want to know why. 

POMPEY. I remember Sulla saying that he could make an 
army love him by talking to the privates occasionally. But 
that no amount of talking would make his generals love his 
ideas. You dispute my ideas before you know them. Very 
soon, you will know them. Meanwhile. Be content. And 
bide my time. 

LENT. Magnus. I am not given to criticism; but this 
biding time is ruin. We are losing allies; we are losing 
Eome. Eome looked to you to crush this upstart. Instead 
of that you have let a rebellion grow into a civil war. You 
have watched your adherents stamped out piecemeal. You 
have done nothing. 

DOMi. Pardon me. He has sent out a boy to attack an 
outpost. 

LENT. I am entitled to discuss a plan which reflects on 
my reputation. 

POMPEY. Wait. 

DOMI. We have waited for a year of war. 

POMPEY. I ask you to wait a little longer. 

LENT. Magnus, while we wait, the rabble is stamping 
out aristocracy throughout the world. 
[He rises.'] 

POMPEY. Sit down, Lentulus. I tell you to wait. The 
war is in my hands. 

DOMI. War is in the hands of the man who strikes. [He 
thrusts aside the lesser door.] There. Among the crags 
there. By the pine-clump. In that great red heap like an 
iron mine. That is Cesar's camp. I 've been out there 
night after night, worming over rocks and down gullies, 
keeping my course by the stars, so that, when a chance came, 
I could take an army into that camp blindfold. I 've a 
map here. [Throws down a paper.] Those red dots are 
the sentries. Each dot was made at the risk of my heart's 
blood. I 've grovelled in the earth before all those sentries, 
praying for the moon to go in, while they talked of their 
love-affairs. I 've seen the sergeant coming his rounds with 
a lantern, and shut my eyes lest they should gleam, and 
betray me. I could take that camp with two legions in the 
blackest night of the year. This war is breaking the world 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT^ 31 

in two. And you send Flaccus with a corporal's guard to 
pull down a hundred yards of paling. Justify that, before 
you tell me to wait. 

POMPEY. Flaccus is fighting the decisive battle of the 
war. 

LENT. This is trifling. [He rises and moves away.l 

DOMi. The decisive. I will tell you what a decisive 
battle is. I took part in one for you at Massilia three months 
ago. At the end of that siege, there was no city. The 
walls were rings of ruin. There were no houses. The 
stone had gone for shot. The wood had been burnt by fire- 
balls. There were no ships. Those which were not burnt 
were bilged. There was no food. Only rotten millet from 
the horse-bins. There were no people. Only some deaths- 
heads dying of plague, and a few madmen on the walls. 
And outside, there were towers flinging flres at us, and 
slings flinging rocks at us, and miles of army coming up 
to the sack. That was a decisive battle. You could make 
Cgesar's camp so like that city, it would stink of death till 
doomsday. 

POMPEY. Domitius, when a man thinks fixedly of any- 
thing, desiring it with his whole nature, he creates a witch 
in the air, who eats that lust of his till she is a strong piti- 
less devil. Then the man dies, Domitius. For the devil 
sucks out the threads of beauty from him till the manly life 
of him is all withered to stalks. 

Domitius, you are given up to a devil. A devil of lust for 
battle. You are like a tiger. But you are fiercer than a 
tiger, for when there is no enemy you fight your friends, 
and when there are no friends you fight your self. And 
when you have torn yourself bloody you fight ideas, not be- 
cause you understand them, and hate them, but because 
when you are not fighting you are nothing. You stream- 
ing torch of wrath! No; you are not like a torch. You 
are like a red hand, clutching, clutching. I fear you, Dom- 
itius. A man's friends are those who understand his ideas, 
and advance them. You are Caesar's friend, Domitius. 

DOMI. [intensely']. You killed my brother, when you 
were a young man. For that, I swore to tear your heart 
out. You dined with me once, twenty years ago. You will 
not remember. I put my hand upon your shoulder. I had 
a knife in my other hand. I could have stabbed you to the 
heart. And there you would have died, Magnus, in a mess 
of roses and spilled wine, before my old Marian friends. 



32 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

But I saw that you were a better man than my brother. 
Something you said. I saw that you were what Eome 
wanted. [Pause. 

[Fiercely.'] You know better than to call me Csesar's 
friend. I 've made Caesar rock in his seat. 

POMPEY. You are Cesar's friend. Your heart beats 
pulse for pulse with Caesar's heart. You malign me be- 
cause my liands are not red from butchery like this. And 
at this moment, while you malign me, Flaccus is ending the 
war. Take no more thought of the war. The war is over. 

[The Generals draw to one side and talk apart for a 
moment. 

POMPEY. Eome is the problem now. You would do well 
to think of Eome. This is the seventh democratic rising 
since my boyhood. Seven desperate attempts to change in 
fifty years. Does that teach you nothing? 

LENT. Theophanes. 

DOMi. Yes. 

THEO. Magnus. 

POMPEY. You all look shocked. I will tell you my plan, 
then. You shall see. [Pause. 

I would not fight in Italy for religious reasons. But in 
giving up Italy, I reckoned on three things. 

On finding time to make an army. This I have done. 

On saving the Asian provinces from rebellion, which 
would have destroyed Boman rule there, directly civil war 
began, if I had not left Italy. This I have done. 

On starving Italy into bloodless peace by blockade. 
Chance has spoiled this last plan. Caesar, breaking the 
blockade, has come to fight me here. Well? 

I gain by that two things : — 

Firstly, A neutral Eome, afraid, as yet, to take either side, 
but likely to become more favourable to us, the longer the 
audacity of this new popular hero is held in check. 

Secondly. The mastery. 

Ca3sar's one military quality is audacity. I have denied 
him the chance of using it. Without it he is a man of lewd 
life, with no august idea, personal or public. Cffisar has 
besieged me here at the bidding of his vanity. He is say- 
ing ' Here am I, besieging Pompey the Great.' You think 
it a brilliant feat. I say that it is not generalship. 

DOMI. It is war. 

LENT. It is policy. 

THEO. It has lost you your reputation as a soldier. 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 33 

POMPEY. I oft'creLl a broken and distracted Italy. He 
took it. A turbulent, useless Spain. He took it. I have 
flung dov/n half a useless world, and he has gorged it and 
come on into the trap. I am camped in plenty, vvdtli six 
fleets ruling the seas. Csesar is trenched in mud, living on 
roots. Besieging me, you call it ? He has dug thirty miles 
of works. He has not enough men to guard ten miles. His 
men are exhausted and starving. He stays in those works 
during my pleasure; no longer. He cannot force me to 
battle. He cannot raid my lines. He cannot go back to 
Eome. • 

And I, with one slight thrust, am tumbling him into 
ruin. 

Enter an Orderly with a despatch. He gives it to pompey. 

LENT. From Flaecus? 

DOMi. You are of the Fifth? 

ORDERLY. From Titus Pulcio, my lord. 

pompey. Very well. 

ORDERLY. Have you any orders, my lord? 

pompey. No orders. x\cknowledge. 

\_Es:it Orderly, saluting. 

THEO. Is it important? 

po.^rPEY. Eead it. 

THEO. [reading']. From Titus Pulcio, legate, fifth le- 
gion, to Headquarters: ' The attack under Valerius Flaecus 
has been repulsed with hea\^ loss. The survivors have 
fallen back upon the old works, south of the river, where 
desperate fighting is now going on. I am marching with 
what I have. The enemy is in force. Stragglers report 
position hopeless.' 

DOMI. These thrusting youths want a lesson. Now, 
Magnus. Justify your plan, now. 

POMPEY. Wait. 

LENT. Wait? While our right flank is being rolled up? 

[Coldly. 

POMPEY. It would take Cfssar two days to bring up 
enough troops to crush our right. 

DOMI. Surely you will smash this attacking force. 

POMPEY. It will exhaust itself. Ca?sar can neither re- 
inforce it, nor replace it. I am fighting with the thought 
of Eome before me. I will not march back to Eome over 
corpses, in the Sulla fashion. 

D;):\ii. At least you will march back over those whom we 
took last night. I killed those. 



34 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

POMPEY. You killed those men ? 

DOMi. They were rebels, I tell you. Traitors. 

POMPEY. I will judge traitors. 

DOMI. They were traitors. My own deserters. Dogs. 
I will serve all traitors so. And I tell you this. 

POMPEY. Not a word. You disgrace our cause, Dom- 
itius. [Pause, and change of voice.'] I may win this war. 
Or this [showing his gold eagle-clasp\ may pay a camp-trull 
yonder. But whether I win or go down, my men shall bear 
themselves nobly. Those on my side must act like knights 
of the bodyguard of God. See to it. 

Enter Chief Centurion cotta, Mattered. 

COTTA. I report the death of commander Flaccus, my 
lord. 

POMPEY. Killed ? 

COTTA. Yes, my lord. 

DOMi. That is what happens in skirmishing. Nothing 
is done, and the good man gets killed. 

COTTA. We were beaten back, my lord; the surprise 
failed. 

POMPEY. Yes ? Well ? 

COTTA. We rushed their wall, tore up their palisades, 
and set fire to two of the turrets. Then they surrounded 
us. I should think they had two legions on to us. We had 
to cut our way home. 

POMPEY. And your commander? 

COTTA. He was killed in the thick, my lord. After our 
storm, we were driven back on to the palisades. The pales 
were all on fire, all along the line, burning hard. I looked 
one minute, and saw him backed right up against the flames, 
with a dozen Thracians. They had a whole troop of lancers 
stabbing at them. I got within a few paces of him, trying 
to bring him off, but the fireballs burst so thick one could n't 
see. My men were being cut to pieces, the cavalry was 
cutting in on our rear, and there came a rush of spearmen 
which swept me off the rampart. I saw his body falling 
back into the fire, all lit up. But we could never get near 
the place again. They cut us to pieces down on the flat. 
They killed eight hundred of us. 

LENT. A severe repulse. 

DOMI. Wasted. Wasted lives. Utterly useless, wicked 
waste. 



II] POMPEY THE GREAT 35 

POMPEY. And then ? Wliat happened then ? 

COTTA. They drove us back into the old works by the 
river. Over the outer wall into the ditch. [Pause.] We 
were penned up in the ditch like beasts in a slaughter-house. 
They swarmed up above us on the wall, pelting us. We 
were below them, grinding in the mud, huddled like sheep. 
Men will always huddle when they have no room to use their 
shields. It was so fierce, that I thought our men would 
break. But we could not break. We were shut in. We 
were so pushed together that the dead could not fall. And 
being pressed man to man gave us a kind of courage. I got 
up on a heap where the wall had fallen. I wanted to see. 
I could see all a wave of red plumes where Caesar's Gauls 
were pressing up, calling to their horses. Arr. Arr. 
There was a roar everywhere like ice breaking up in the 
spring. Behind their main attack they were making a way 
through the wall for their horse. Every now and then their 
picks flashed and the earth came scattering down. It was 
worst at the gate. The noise of the axes on the gate was 
like a ship-yard. They brought up a tree to batter it, and 
every time they ran at it, you could see the wood give, in 
great splinters. 

There was a little grey centurion by the gate. I could 
not see his legion, for his helmet had been smashed by a 
stone ; but I think he was of the fifth. He had a green scarf 
over his shoulder. He was down under the gate shoring it 
up with baulks. About a dozen naked Gauls swarmed up 
on to the wall above him, singing their pgean. They hurled 
down darts right on to him. The darts struck the earth 
all round him, till the pebbles were flying in his face. He 
had no shield. Only a camp-follower, who held the wood 
while he lammed it in with a maul. And every time the 
batterers ran in, those two stopped work, and cheered, and 
flung the darts back, and then drove in another pile. I 
thought we were lost; but it was our fight, my lord. 

For I heard fifes, playing ' The Day of Zama,' and men 
singing. It was a cohort of the fifth, marching to support 
our left flank. They came on slowly, in line, with their 
heads up, and the fifes playing. The centurions led them, 
singing, marching well ahead. It was a fine thing to see 
those men coming on. Their ranks were so locked that 
the oak-trees on their shields made a green breastwork across 
their front. It was our fight after that. We caught them 
in the outer ditch. The ditch is choked with them. Caesar 



So THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

lost a full tlioiTsanfl there in the ditch. They were broken. 
We shook them to the heart. They will not face us again, 
my lord, for a long time. Xor any enemy. Caesar will 
have trouble with them. 

POJTPEY. Very well, Cotta. 

COTTA. They are sending in the body with a trumpet, my 
lord. 

POMPEY. Yes ! Send me the returns of killed and 
wounded and the centurions' reports. Your legion will 
stand no watch to-night. See that vour men rest. Order 
wine from the sutlers for them. I will speak to them to- 
night. 

COTTA. Thank you, my lord. 

[He goes out, saluting. 

DOMi. One moment, Cotta. 

[He goes out, after him. 

THEO. Cfesar is sending a trumpet. Can he be suing for 
peace ? 

LENT. Why shoiild he sue for peace after a skirmish? 

POMPEY. It was the pricking of a bubble. He is suing 
for peace. And if I grant peace, I shall have these to fight. 
And if I refuse peace, this ruin will go on. 

THEO. Do we receive this trumpet? 

Enter domitius. 

DOMI. Magnus. Ctpsar is in disoixler. His men are 
leaving the trenches. He is withdrawing. His south walls 
are abandoned already. 

POMPEY. Yes. He has learned his lesson. 

They have been digging and starving here for six months. 
And one blow shows them that it is as useless as digging in 
the sea. 

They are telling Caesar now that he has thrown them 
away. 

He must pay them now for the life they have spent for 
him. He cannot pay them. The most that he can do is 
to save them from the result of his insanity. 

THEO. He can retreat. 

POMPEY. How can he retreat? He cannot retreat. 
Where can he go? My navies hold the sea. To the north 
there are savage tribes. The south is blocked by my gar- 
risons. I am here in the west with my army. And to the 
east lies Mctcllus, M'itli another army. 

He has one chance of saving them. He can sue for peace. 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 37 

DO MI. But you are going to attack. You are not going 
to receive this herald ? 

POMPEY. Yes, Eorae must have peace. 

If Caesar will make submission 

LENT. He will never do that, Magnus. 

POMPEY. Why not? What else can he do? If he will 
not submit, his men will force him. 

DOMi. [A surrender will be useless. 

THEO. < Csesar must be destroyed. 

LENT. [How Avill you settle Rome, with Csesar alive? 

POMPEY. This war has gone on all my life. Sulla's 
method failed. Cataline's metliod failed. They shall not 
be tried again. Rome shall be settled this time finally, by 
the union of both parties, not by the domination of one. 

DOMi. If you hesitate to strike now, you are a traitor, 
Magnus. 

POMPEY. I have made my plan. 

[Sternly.'] 1 will abide by it. To your place. Mur- 
mur no more. 

No little gust of passion shall set me wavering. 

[A Voice ivithout and a trumpet. 

VOICE. Present arms. Port arms. Pass friend. Pre- 
sent arms. 

POMPEY. Life is nothing. It is the way of life which 
is so much. Enter tliere. 

COTT A [entering']. The body, my lord. With the trumpet. 

Enter Bearers ivith the body of valeeius flaccus. cotta, 
and the others salute the corpse. Then, with a 
solemnity of trumpets hloiving points of ceremony, 
MARCUS ACiLius enters, led hy two Centurions. He 
is blindfolded, cotta, the Bearers and the Cen- 
turions go out, when the handkerchief is removed. 

ACiLius. I bring back your soldier, Cneius Ponipey, 

POMPEY. You bring a message? 

ACiL. I come from Ctesar. 

POMPEY. Well ? 

ACIL. He asks you to end this war. The gods have 
given you an equal measure of victory. You have both lost 
and won half the Roman world. Now that the world is 
shared between you, you can consent to a peace. To-mor- 
row, if fortune favour one of you, the fortunate one will 
think himself too great to parley. [Pause.] CfEsar asks 
that a peace may be concluded. If you will undertake to 



38 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

do the same, he will make public oath to disband his army 
within three days. That is his proposal. 

POMPEY. More than a year ago, the Senate ordered 
Caesar to disband his troops. That decree still stands dis- 
regarded. I cannot treat with a rebel. Caesar must obey 
that decree and submit to the Senate's mercy. 

ACiL. The quarrel is between you and Caesar, Magnus. 

POMPEY. Not at all. I represent the Senate. 

ACIL. Your party of the Senate, which my party does 
not recognise. 

POMPEY. These are the facts, Acilius. Caesar has at- 
tacked Republican rule. He has failed. I make it a con- 
dition of treaty that he acknowledge Republican authority. 

ACIL. Caesar has never denied that authority. He is in 
arms against a perversion of that authority by unscrupu- 
lous men. That he seeks to end the Republic is denied by 
my presence here, asking for peace. Cffisar is no suitor to 
you. That great mind is its own sufficient authority. 
Farewell, Magnus. [Goi7ig. 

[At door.'] You will grant peace if Caesar kneels in the 
dust. Very well. Rome is more to him than honour. He 
will kneel in the dust. In the most public place in Rome. 
He will submit himself, body and cause, to the judgment of 
the Roman people there assembled. 

Will that suffice? 

POMPEY. No. 

The mob has no voice in this matter. The mob must be 
taught to obey its rulers. Caesar must submit to the Senate. 

ACIL. Then the blood will be on your hands, Magnus. 

[Going. 

POMPEY. It will suffice if Csesar surrender to myself in 
the presence of both armies. But a public act of submis- 
sion must be made. Otherwise it will be thought that Cfesar 
drove us from Italy, and forced us to accept his terms. That 
1 cannot allow. 

ACIL. I am to tell Cssar that you refuse. [Quietly.'] 
From fear of what the world may think? 

POMPEY. You count that a little thing, the thought of 
the world? For what else are we fighting; but to control 
the thought of the world? "What else matters, Acilius? 

You think that I am fighting to be a master? Not so. 
I am fighting because I know what Caesar wants. I have 
watched his career step by step. Ca3sar means to be king. 
He has bribed the rabble to crown him. 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 39 

You see only the brilliant man, winning — what he has 
the power to win. I look beyond that man. I see Rome 
under a secret, bloody domination and a prey to future 
Cffisars. That shall not be. 

I am an old man, now, Acilius. I have been fighting this 
battle all my life. I hope now to end it. You have heard 
my terms. 

[He strikes a gong. 

[A 'pause. Enter a Centurion. 

[To the Centurion.] Ask Afranius to come here. 

[Exit Centurion. 
Do you accept them or refuse them ? Take your time. 

Pause. Enter afranius. 

ACIL. I refuse them. 

POMPEY [to afranius]. You will take the Gemella 
legion, drive in Caesar's outposts and burn the works. 

[Exit AFRANIUS. 

ACIL. There is no voice for peace, then. I have failed. 
Now that my task is done, may I speak with you privately ? 

POMPEY. Yes. On a private matter. Is your business 
private ? 

ACIL. Yes. It is private. 

POMPEY [to Generals]. Leave us. 

[Exit Generals. 

[To ACILIUS.] Be brief. 

ACIL. My mother married you. Years ago. 

She was dragged by force from my father so that you 
might be propped by a vote the more. She died of a broken 
heart, in your bed. 

You have taken worse props, now. These nobles. They 
are using you to stamp out democracy. So that they may 
plunder in peace for another fifty years. 

And when you have done their task. "When the war is 
over. 

POMPEY [taking up gong]. I cannot listen to this. 

ACIL. You plan to make just those democratic reforms 
for which Csesar is fighting. You mean to cripple the 
aristocracy. And they will stop you. Domitius hates you. 
Metellus fears you. Lentulus is jealous of you. They are 
planning to get rid of you. Even now. [Pause. 

Get rid of them, Magnus. Take Caesar as your friend. 
End the war. Drive them out. 



40 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

POMPEY. And after? 

ACiL. You could make Eome what you please. 

[pOMPEY strikes the gong. 

Re-ertter Generals. 

POMPEY. And after? [Pause.'] Your party shall sub- 
mit to mine. [He writes a few words.] You may take 
this to Ctesar. [Gives writing.] 

Give this man safe conduct. 

ACIL. I am going, Magnus. I shall not see you again. 

[theophanes goes out. 

POMPEY [who has turned away]. Well? 

ACIL. Pride is a mean thing in the presence of death. 
To-day you are great, and the kings bring tribute to you. 
To-morrow you may be this. Only this. Praised by the 
worm. [Showing corpse. 

pojipey. You talk of the presence of death. Man, I 
am in the presence of God, in my soul's supreme crisis. 

COTTA and Centurions enter with theophanes. They 

salute. 

Who cares what I may be? I may be carrion. But 
while I am man, and carry a faith in me, I will guard that 
faith. See this man through the lines. 

[\Yith a solemn blowing of a point of ceremony, cotta 
and the Centurions go out, leading acilius, blind- 
folded. Murmurs. Acclamations. 
[The Generals eye pompey. He walJcs to the body and 
looks at it. 
POMPEY. Poor boy. You have gone a long way from 
this inn. 

When you were born, women kissed you, and watched 
you as you slept, and prayed for you, as women do. When 
you learned to speak, they praised you; they laughed and 
were so tender with you, even when they were in pain. 
And to-night you will wander alone, where no woman's love 
can come to you, and no voice speak to you, and no grief of 
ours touch you to an answer. 
The dead must be very lonely. 

poMi. [coming forward and looking at the body]. That? 
Why be sad at that? 

He was marked for it. [Quietly.] Magnus. I have 
something to say. I give you full credit for what you 
have done. You were right. But not so right as I would 
have been. Destruction 's what war 's for. Still. It has hap- 



II] POMPEY THE GREAT 41 

pened. N'ow there is Eome. How are you going back to 
liome without the moral support of a victory? 

LENT. In Eome, it- is said openly that you have been 
shuffled about at Caesar's will. 

THEO. And that we have been beaten in every battle. 
POMPEY. What is that noise, there ? 

[Cries of ' Victory.' Clapping. Trumpets. A cry 
of ' Present Arms.' The spears rattle. 

E titer LUCIUS lucceius, in the civil dress. 

LENT. Lucceius. 

THEO. Lucius Lucceius. 

[lucceius stands looking at them silently. He salutes 
the body, and advances sloivly. 

LUCCEIUS [slowlyl. I salute you, Cneius Pompey. I 
come from Rome. 

POMPEY. What news do you bring from Rome? 

Lucc. News of your triumph, Magnus. 

Cffisar's army, under Curio, invaded Africa. 

Curio is killed. His army is destroyed. Africa is saved 
to us. [He takes a laurel wreath. 

The Roman people send me with this wreath, Magnus. 

[He offers it, ivith reverent dignity. 

POMPEY [taling the wreath and laying it on flaccus' 
head]. Once, long ago, I played with you. By the fish- 
pools at Capua, watching the gold-fish. 

You asked me for my purple, that glittering day long 
ago. [He lays his purple over flaccus.] All things for 
which men ask are granted. A word may be a star or a i^ 
spear for all time. This is the day of my triumph, it 
seems. 

[A distant trumpet winds. It winds again. 

THEO. There is a horn blowing. 

POMPEY. It is blowing like a death-horn. 

DOMi. It is a Roman call. 

In Caesar's camp. 

[domitius flings aside the canvas. 

It is the ' Prepare to March.' He is in retreat. His 
huts are burning. They are winding out upon the road 
there. They are floundering up the pass. Two thousand 
horse could ruin them. 

POMPEY. Ruin is not my province. Let them destroy 
themselves. They are wandering out into the wilds with- 



43 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

out heart, without hope, without plan. That is the for- 
lornest march ever called by trumpets. There is death in 
every heart there already. Well. We shall follow. 

Call the chief centurions. 

[theophanes goes to the door, to the 
Sentry without. 

We win. But we will kill the rebellion, remember, not 
those Romans. 

[Going to the 'body.'] And to-night we shall be marching 
from this poor earth, pursuing Caesar, marching to many 
trumpets, under the stars, singing as we march. I shall 
end Sulla's war, now. 

The Chief Centurions enter. 

A trumpeter there. Strike camp. Prepare to march. 

[A Centurion going out, calls. 
Take vip the body. 
1st centurion. 

Man is a sacred city, built of marvellous earth. 
2nd centurion. 

Life was lived nobly here to give this body birth. 
3rd centurion. 

Something was in this brain and in this eager hand. 
4th centurion. 
Death is so dumb and blind, Death cannot understand. 

[They lift the bier. 
Death drifts the brain with dust and soils the young 

limbs' glory. 
Death makes women a dream and men a traveller's story. 
Death drives the lovely soul to wander under the sky, 
Death opens unknown doors. It is most grand to die. 
[They go out chanting, followed by pompey. 
LENTULUS, DOMiTius, THEOPHANES and LuccEius re- 
main. 
DOMi. Lentulus. Lucceius. Look here. 

[He draivs them aside. 
[Now ivithout comes a sliaHng blast from a trumpet. It 
is tal-en up and echoed by many trumpets, near and 
far, blowing the legionary calls, till the air rings. 

Curtain. 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 43 



Scene II 

The same. Taper light. Daicn later. 
PoMPEY writing. Enter LuccEius. 

Lucc. ISTot in bed, Magnus? 

POMPEY. I have had evil dreams. 

Are you from Eounds? 

Is all quiet ? 

LUCC. Yes. 

There is a light near Cesar's camp. They are burning 
their dead. 

Our scouts took two lancers. They say that Caesar's 
men are dying. Of fever and hunger. 

POMPEY. Yes. He must surrender within a few days. 
And so they are burning their dead ? 

LUCC. Yes. 

POMPEY. Now we have Eome to settle. [Pawse. 

I lie awake, thinking. 

What are we, Lucceius? 

LUCC. Who knows ? Dust with a tragic purpose. Then 
an end. 

POMPEY. No. But what moves us ? 

I saw a madman in Egypt. He was eyeless with staring 
at the sun. He said that ideas come out of the East, like 
locusts. They settle on the nations and give them life; 
and then pass on, dying, to the wilds, to end in some scratch 
on a bone, by a caveman's fire. 

I have been thinking that he was wise, perhaps. Some 
new swarm of ideas has been settling on Eome. A new kind 
of life is being born. A new spirit. I thought a year ago 
that it was crying out for the return of kings, and personal 
rule. I see now that it is only crying out for a tyrant to 
sweep the old life away. 

Eome has changed, Lucceius. Outw-ardly, she is the same, 
still. A city which gives prizes to a few great people. A 
booth where the rabble can sell their souls for bread, and 
their bodies for the chance of plunder. Inwardly, she is a 
great democratic power struggling with obsolete laws. 
Eome must be settled on democratic lines. 
LUCC. [surprised] . That would be a denial of your whole 
life, Magnus. 

You have been crushing democracy for forty years. 



44 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

POMPEY. I have crushed rebellions. I mean now to 
crush their cause. 

There must be a change, A great change. 

Enter metellus, domitius, lentulus. 

Lucc. ^giving paper']. This is my report. \^He salutes 
and goes. At the door, he pauses, lool-ing out.] The pyre 
is still burning. They must be dying like flies. [Exit. 

METELLUS [As the Generals sit facing pompey]. Csesar 
has sent to me privately, Magnus, to beg me to ask terms 
from you. I sent back his letter without comment. 

The war is over; but we are not yet secure. We shall 
have to garrison the provinces for some years with men 
whom we can trust. 

Spain and Gaul are arranged for among ourselves. It is 
the lesser appointments. Magnus, I want your voice, on 
behalf of Lucius Tuditanus. I was thinking of sending 
him as my deputy into Asia. 

POMPEY. Is that the soldier Tuditanus, who did so well 
under you ? [To domitius. 

DOMI. No. His nephew. 

MET. He 's a young man on my personal staff. 

POMPEY. Has he qualified for the praitorship? 

MET.- jSTo. Not in the strict legal sense. But he was of 
the greatest use to me in Asia. He would be competent. 

POMPEY. In what way was he of use to you ? 

MET. In the collection of tribute. You see, the rich 
disputed our assessments. They hoped to wrangle in Court, 
without paying, till Csesar saved them. Tuditanus stopped 
that. He suggested that we should send round expert 
valuers with each tax-patrol. Claims were judged on the 
spot, and the tax paid, or distrained, there and then. Often 
the patrols did not have to unsaddle. And as we needed 
the money quickl)'', the system was of great use to me. 

POMPEY. Yes. But the law is plain, Metellus. A praetor 
and a praetor's deputy represent Eome. It is a respon- 
sible office. They judge and govern in Eome's name. Men 
must be trained for it. AVhat has Tuditanus done, besides 
this tax-collection, that the laws should be broken for him? 

LENT. His father has made many sacrifices for us. 

POMPEY. There is a growing belief in Eome that a sacri- 
fice should be a good investment. Anything else? 

MET. He is one of those K-iliio-r^t young men, of proved 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 45 

loyalty, for whom we ought to provide. I recommend him 
to you. 

POMPEY. That is much in his favour. But I want proof 
that he can govern. Tell me, Metellus. Where has he 
shown administrative talent? 

MET. He has not shown it. He is a man whom we ought 
to bind to us. He would soon learn. We could give him 
a staff of old soldiers, to steady him, at first. 

POMPEY. Has he any power of command? Where has 
he served? 

DOMi. He was in the horse for a time, in Lycia. 

POMPEY [to metellus]. Wliat recommended him to 
you ? 

met. Never mind the merit. I am contending for the 
principle, that our friends must be rewarded. 

POMPEY. Yes. But praetorian power. No. He must 
qualify. 

lent. Before you reject him, will you not see him? 
Metellus and Domitius would not recommend him without 
grave reason. I might say, without urgent reason. 

POMPEY. I want an imperative reason. Without that, 
it would be a gross act of favouritism. And illegal. As 
for the results, we have seen such prators. We should have 
a rising, and possibly a frontier war. No. Tuditanus can- 
not be pr^tor. 

MET. Remember, Magnus. Tuditanus is one of many. 
Others are in the same position. With a right to expect 
employment. 

POMPEY. Peace will try their quality. 

There are men with Csesar with a right to expect employ- 
ment. 

[The Generals looJc at each other and sigh. 

DOMI. There is another point. We are going back to 
Eome. Eome is in a rebellious, unsettled state. We must 
secure ourselves. 

I ask that every man of any standing in Eome be brought 
to trial, even if he have remained neutral. If tlie rebels 
have attacked authority, the neutrals have ignored it. And 
both must suffer. Eel)ellion must be stamped out. 

[Gives paper. 
The four hundred men in this list have actively helped 
the rebellion. There can be no question of trial for them. 
I ask that they be put to death. 

POMPEY. That is out of the question. War will end 



46 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

when Caesar surrenders. I cannot allow reprisals. I want 
Rome settled. 

LENT. Perhaps you will explain how you plan to admin- 
ister Rome. When we return. 

MET. [softly']. There will be an amnesty for offences 
committed ? 

POMPEY. Yes. 

DOMi. You will pardon these rebels? 

POMPEY. If they sumbit. 

LENT, [slotvlyl. Will you allow them to help in the re- 
construction ? 

POMPEY [liotly']. Yes. Power is in too few hands. 
There must be a change in Eome. I would have these four 
hundred firebrands made Senators, to help us make the 
change wisely. 

MET. So. 

DOMI. Magnus. There is only one way of settling Eome. 
By showing her who is master in a way which she '11 
remember. 

LENT. Any dallying with these rebels will leave us where 
we were before. Hated, and flouted by the rabble, and in 
danger from it. Losing our privileges, one by one. Losing 
our possessions and our power. Magnus, I would ask you 
to weigh this proposal very carefully. It affects the future 
of the patrician idea. 

POMPEY. And of Eome. "Wliat kind of future do you 
expect from a massacre like this ? I will tell you what you 
will get. You will drive these four hundred firebrands into 
the Provinces, where it will take five years of war to crush 
them. 

No. I '11 go back with peace. Not a man shall be 
touched. 

LENT. Before we go back with peace, we must end the 
war. I have had letters from Eome. 

Popular voice in Eome says that we have feared to risk 
a battle. That the war drags on, when it could be ended in 
a day. 

That we dare not kill these representatives of the people. 

That is a dangerous spirit in a city which we are about to 
rule. That spirit can only be broken by decisive success. 
We must go back with victory. A battle is certain victory 
to ourselves. We ask you to give battle. 

MET. We have asked this before, without sucess. We 
ask it now, feeling it to be a grave need. Lentulus has 



ii] POMPEY THE GEEAT 47 

mentioned it as a political expedient. I add to that this, 
that our treasury is nearly empty. We have no means of 
raising more money. We have drained Spain and Asia 
for years to come. And your inactive plan of campaign has 
killed our credit. We must fight. We cannot afford to 
keep the field for another month. 

POMPEY. Cassar cannot keep the field for another week. 

DOMi. Cgesar will drag on, day by day, till the corn is 
ripe. It is not many days now to harvest. You let his 
men get a full provision and you will see how long they will 
keep the field. I could break that impostor's strength with 
the horse alone. 

POMPEY. I can break his strength without risking a life. 
I will not give battle. Be thankful that we can end such a 
war with so little bloodshed. [The Generals rise. 

DOMI. You are the oldest, Lentulus. 

LENT. It may lose us votes, remember. You are the 
most popular. 

MET. Perhaps I should do it. I am related. 

POMPEY. What do you wish to say? 

MET. Magnus. I have to speak to you. 

You love power too well. 

Your command ends with war. 

You have tried to prolong your command by neglecting to 
end the war. 

But the war is over. 

You plan now to retain command while you impose your 
will upon the State. That is a menace to the Eepublic. 
We have been forced to convoke the Senate to discuss it. 

The Senate has sanctioned the appointment of Tuditanus, 
and the list of the proscribed. It also commands that you 
give battle to Caesar. 

\_He gives a paper. 
[poMPEY waJJcs up stage slowly, then down. He 
stands at table, fronting them. 

POMPEY. What do you expect me to say. Conscript 
Fathers? That I refuse to obey this order? 

I could refuse. 

If I were Caesar, or Lentulus. Or you, Domitius. Or 
Metellus. I shoiild refuse. 

And my soldiers, or Caesar's there, would work my will 
on a Senate which had so insulted me. 

But I am Pompey the Great. I am bound by my mili" 
tary oath. 



48 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

Do not think to humble me. Death is a little thing to 
the loss of conscience. 

Death is easier than life to me. 

But even if I die, Eome will be a prey to unscrupulous 
men. 

There is no hope for Eome. She ends here. Disaster 
begins. 

But for me, you would now be beggars at .Cesar's doors. 
I saved Eome from Ciesar. 

And now Eome is to beg her life from you. You have 
used Pompey the Great to ruin her. 

But you have first to fight for her. 

You shall give your sin a dignitv, by risking your lives 
for it. [lie strikes the gong. 

Enter an Aide. 

\To Aide.'] Give the signal for battle. [Exit Aide. 

You have your will, now. 

This is the end. 

And at the end, think what it is which you destroy. 

Eome is notliing to you. Only the reward of greed, and 
hate, and pride. 

The city where justice was born. 

Look beyond your passions, at what Eome is. It is the 
state of Eome, not passion, which concerns us now. 

A little while ago, she was a market-town, governed by 
farmers. Now she rules Europe. 

And in herself no change. Cramped still. Fettered. 
The same laws. The same rulers. Like iron on her heart. 

And forty years of civil war. All my life. A blind tur- 
bulent heaving towards freedom. 

[Witliout, a confused noise as of many men stirring 
from sleep. Shouted orders are clearly heard above 
the murmur. 

THE ORDERS. Fall in. Dress. Cohort. By the right. 
Cohort, to the left, wheel. Eyes left. Cohort. Filers, 

three paces to the Attention, etc., etc. Cohort. Salute, 

etc. 

[/n a moment's silence a trumpet blows outside the 
tent. Cheering. 

POMPEY. Five minutes ago I had Eome's future in my 
hand. She was wax to my seal. I was going to free her. 

Now is the time to free her. You can tear the scales and 



II] POMPEY THE GEEAT 49 

the chains from her. You can make her a State so splendid 
that Athens would be a dust-heap to her. 

You will not. 

You will drive her back three centuries, so that you may- 
wreak your passions on her. 

Go on, then. Destroy her. Or be destroyed. 

Whether you win or lose, Eome ends. 

[A pause. Orders without. 

ORDEES. The cohort will advance in Cohort, halt. 

Ground arms. Attention. Form four deep. Attention. 
By the right. Quick march. Cohort. Cohort. To the 
left. Turn. 

DOMi. Wliat orders have you? 

[For the next minute or two a noise of troops moving. 

POMPEY. You have fought this battle many times in 
your hearts. [He flings the doors wide, showing a bright 
datvn.] Now you will fight it in earnest. You will fight 
the wild beasts whom I could have starved like beasts. 

Go to your divisions. 

[The Generals go out silently, pompey stmids hy the 
table. 

ORDERS. Cohort. Halt. Ground arms. Attention. 
Eorm four deep. Cohort. Left turn. 

Enter philip. pompey does not look at him. 
Fifes of a cohort pass. 

PHILIP. Do you want me, my lord ? 

POMPEY [turning^ . Can you sing, Philip ? 

PHILIP. Sing, my lord? 

POMPEY. Yes. 

PHILIP. I don't know, my lord. 

POMPEY. What was that song we had ? That night. In 
the Asian wars. When we broke Mithridates? 

PHILIP [hesitating']. I don't know whether I can, my 
lord. 
... POMPEY. Sing. 

PHILIP. I '11 try, my lord. [He repeats. 

Though we are ringed with spears, though the. last hope 
is gone, 

Eomans stand firm, the Eoman dead look on. 

Before our sparks of life blow back to him who gave, 

Burn clear, brave hearts, and light our pathway to the 
grave. 



■A 



50 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

, POMPEY. Take my purple, Philip. 

[He flings his purple aside. 
A CENTURION. Eves left. Salute. 
A COHORT PASSING. Hail ! Pompey. Imperator. 

^Trumpets. 
Curtain. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 51 



ACT III 

The Poop of a Lesbian Merchantman of the First Century B.C. 

On each side, the buhcark of a ship; painted green. There are 
gaps, or gangways, in these bulioarks, so that people may go 
down the ship's side into boats. 

At back of stage, the poop-rail, also painted green. A wooden 
belfry loith a bell stands upon the middle of the poop-rail. 

On each side of the bell is a ladder leading down to the main deck. 
Gaps in the poop-rail allow people to reach the poop by these 
ladders. 

Above the deck, sloping from amidships like a tent, is an awning of 
blue and ichite baftas. This awning has a flap, which falls 
at back of stage, hiding the poop from the main deck. On 
both sides of the stage the awni7ig is secured by stops to 
guys above the ship's bulwarks. 

In the centre of the stage (if the theatre stage is so built) i<s a 
hatchway, surrounded by a raised white rim or coaming. 
This leads down to the cabins. 

Behind it is a mast (painted 'mast colour') which rises up 
through the awning. 

Round the mast is a square of timbers, like a stout fence. These 
are the bitts, to which the running rigging is belayed. 

Stout ropes and b'^ocks lead along the mast. 

Attendants, Sailors, etc., etc., keep alicays to the starboard side 
out of respect to Pompey, tcho uses the weather, or honour- 
able side. 

At the rising of the curtain Captain is standing by poop-rail, look- 
ing at the nhen at work forward. The Boy holds up the 
awning so that he can see under it.} 

THE CHANTYMAN [heard off, amid a click of pawls]. Old 
Pompey lost Pharsalia fight. 

THE SAILORS [heaving at the foriuard capsta?i]. 
Mark well what I do say. 

THE CHANTY. 

Old Pompey lost Pharsalia fight. 

THE SAILORS. 

And Caesar now is the world's delight. 
And I '11 go no more a-roving, 

With Pompey the Great. 

A-roving. A-roving. 
Since roving 's been my ru-i-n. 
I '11 go no more a-roving 

With Pompey the Great. 



52 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

THE MATE [from far forward]. Avast heaving. Walk 
back. [Pause.] Unship your bars. 

THE CAPTAIN. That '11 do, boy. [Boy drops awning.] 
Now we 're riding to a single anchor. 

THE BOY. Yes, sir. 

THE CAPT. '[ki7idly]. D' you know what little port that 
is yonder? 

THE BOY. No, sir. 

THE CAPT. That's Pelusium, in Egypt. This is the 
Nile. 

THE BOY. Is this where the King of Egypt lives, sir ? 

THE CAPT. [pointing]. Over yonder. Where all those 
soldiers are. That 's where the King of Egypt is. Young 
King Ptolemy, who Pompey sent the letter to, after Caesar 
beat him. 

THE BOY. Wliy does Pompey come to him, sir. He 's 
only a boy. 

THE CAPT. It was through Pompey he became king. 
And there are lots of Pompey's old soldiers yonder. An 
army of them. 

THE BOY. What a lot of ships, sir. 

Tim CAVT. [a^ixiously]. Ye-es. A lot of ships. 

THE BOY. They must be men of war, sir. There 's a 
bugle. Oh, look, sir, at those big galleys. Hark at the 
bugles. [Bugle-calls off.] Is that to call the slaves, 
sir? 

THE CAPT. [looMng under the sharp of his hand]. Is 
that a boat putting off from the flagship ? That big galley 
nearest to us? 

THE BOY. Yes, sir. Don't they pull well, sir ? They 're 
coming to us. 

THE CAPT. Quick. Get the red side-ropes rove. 

[The Boy reeves side-ropes, which he takes from locJcer 
hy the gangway. 

THE BOY [at his ivorlil^. They're hailing us, sir. 

A CRY. Ship aboy! Ahoy, you! 

THE CAPT. Hulloh ! 

A CRY. What ship is that? 

THE CAPT. The Fortune. From Cyprus. 

A CRY. Have you Lord Pompey aboard you? 

THE CAPT. Yes. Lord Pompey 's aboard us. Down 
below. [Pause. 

THE BOY. They seem to be talking together, sir. 

A CRY. When did you leave Cyprus? 



Ill] POMPEY THE GREAT 53 

THE CAPT. [humbly]. At noon, sir, yesterday. 

[A pause. 

A CRY. D' ye hear there ? You 're not to send any boat 
ashore. 

THE CAPT. Ay, ay, my lord. 

THE BOY. They're pulling back to the ship, sir. 

THE CAPT. [testily']. Quick. Dip our streamer. Dip 
our streamer, boy. Don't you know enough for that? 
[The Boy runs aft and dips the streamer.] Again. Now. 
Once more. Here. [He hecl:ons.] Go below quietly, and 
see if Lord Pompey 's stirring. [The Boy goes doivn the 
hatch. The Captain walls up and down, uneasily loohing 
at the distant ships.] No. No. I don't like it. [He shakes 
his head.] I wish we were out of it. [Re-enter Boy.] Well, 
lad? 

THE BOY. Yes, sir. Lord Pompey 's up, sir. 

THE CAPT. Ah. [Kindly.] You '11 be able to tell them, 
when you get home, that you were shipmates with Pompey 
the Great. 

THE BOY. Yes, sir. 

THE CAPT. That 's what comes of being a sailor. 

THE BOY. Please, sir. 

THE CAPT. Yes, boy. 

THE BOY. What is the name of that mountain, sir ? 

THE CAPT. That ? That 's Mount Cassius. There 's a 
tale about that mountain. Something about a king. Or 
some one to die there. I forget. Here. What are they 
doing aboard those galleys? 

THE BOY. They are filling full of soldiers. Soldiers are 
putting off to them in boats. 

THE CAPT. [striking the bell once]. Mr. Mate, there! 

THE MATE [below, out of sight]. Sir. 

Enter Mate, 

THE CAPT. Oh, Mr. Mate. Here, boy. What are you 
listening at? Go forward. And if you want to see your 
mother again, you pray. Pray that King Ptolemy '11 let 
you. [Exit Boy. 

[The Captain speaJcs intently to the Mate.] Look here. 
We 're done. Pompey is n't wanted here. Those eunuchs 
have put the King against him. See those galleys? 
They 're getting ready to sink us. If you see one of them 
getting under way, cut the cable. Don't wait for orders. 
Cut the cable, and hoist sail. 



54 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

THE MATE. I '11 make all ready, sir. 

THE CAPT. It makes your blood boil, though. A week 
back they 'd have crawled all round Pompey for a chance 
to kiss his footman's boots. Now they 're going to drive 
him out. 

THE MATE. Well sir. You can't expect gratitude from 
a king, they say. The world 's wide. There 's other lands 
besides Egypt. Egypt 's got trouble enough, without Pom- 
pey. What did he come here for ? That 's what I don't 
see. 

THE CAPT. He 's had a misfortune. One does n't know 
where to turn when one 's had a misfortune. And having 
a wife and that. Very likely he 's beside himself, for all 
he does n't take on. 

THE MATE. He 'd ought to have come with his fleet. 
That would have frightened them. Coming alone like this 
makes people think he 's a beggar. D' you think they '11 
ram us? 

THE CAPT. I don't trust them. 

THE MATE. The hands don't trust them, neither. 

THE CAPT. Ah ! the growlers. What do they say ? 

THE MATE. They 're saying they did n't sign on to be 
rammed. 

THE CAPT. They signed for what I choose. 

THE MATE. Yes, sir. They 're afraid of the soldiers 
and that. 

THE CAPT. They got sense. If I were Pompey, I 'd run 
for it. A man with a wife like that did n't ought to seek 
trouble. Well. God send pay day! Watch the hands and 
stand by. That 's your job. 

THE MATE. I '11 make all clear, sir. Bosun, there ! 

BOSUN [off]. Sir? 

THE MATE. Overhaul your gear. Have all ready for get- 
ting under way. 

BOSUN. Have all ready, sir. I will, sir. [Whistle. 

THE MATE [going]. There's his steward, sir. [Exit. 

THE CAPT. Steward. 

PHILIP [enteringl. Sir. 

THE CAPT. Oh ! steward, [philtp approaches.'] Look 
here, Steward. A^Hiat 's Pompey's object in coming here? 

PHILIP. He 's come to see the King. 

THE CAPT. Is he come to ask for shelter? 

PHILIP. He 's come to raise another army out of all his 
old soldiers here. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 55 

THE CAPT. He won't get any soldiers here. They're all 
at the wars. The young King 's fighting his sister. 

PHILIP. That will be patched up. The young King 
thinks the world of my master. He '11 do what Pompey 
wants. 

THE CAPT. He has n't answered Pompey's letter yet. 

PHILIP. No ? 

THE CAPT. We 've been told not to send a boat ashore. 

PHILIP. Well, all I know is, the young King longs to 
honour Pompey. But for Pompey, the old King would have 
died a poor flute-player in Ephesus. You can see for your- 
self he 's coming. There 's his state barge at the jetty. 
Look. They 're out on the roofs. There 's music. 



Enter pompey. 

THE CAPT. [unconvinced']. It may be as you say, stew- 
ard. Ah. 

[lie starts, salutes, and hastily crosses to the starboard, 
or lee side. 

PHILIP. My lord. Do you know what day it is, my lord ? 

POMPEY. Wliat day is it? 

PHILIP. The day of your triumph, my lord. Your Asian 
triumph. Thirteen years ago. 

POMPEY. Is it so long ago? That was a great day. 

PHILIP. Yes, indeed, my lord, I '11 never forget that 
day. We always like to keep it up with a little something 
among ourselves. 

We brought you a few figs, my lord. They 're only 
Cretans. {He offers figs.] Just in honour of the day, my 
lord. If you would accept of them. 

POMPEY [taking and tasting]. Thank you, Philip. [To 
the Captain.] This old servant of mine is always bent on 
spoiling me. 

THE CAPT. Yes, my lord. So I see. 

PHILIP [going]. I 'm sure I hope to-day will be a great 
day too, my lord. [Exit philip. 

POMPEY. It should be, Philip. [He lays figs on weather 
fife-rail.] Captain ! 

THE CAPT, Yes, my lord. 

POMPEY. Has any one come aboard for me? 

THE CAPT. No, my lord. 
, POMPEY. Thank you. 



56 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

THE CAPT. Beg pardon, my lord. 

POMPEY. Well ? 

THE CAPT. The flagship has ordered us not to send a 
boat ashore. I thought I ought to report it, my lord. 

POMPEY. Thank you, Captain. A fine fleet here. 

THE CAPT. [meaningly]. They seem to be getting their 
crews aboard. 

POMPEY. What speed have those galleys? 

THE CAPT. Those there, my lord? They might make 
seventeen. That 's with good rowers. And dead calm. 
And the ships new out of dock. In a wind like this, they 
would n't make more 'n about eight. They can't work 
their oars in a sea-way. [Pause.] Now 's the time, my 
lord, if you think of putting to sea. By and by, may be, 
they '11 be able to stop us. 

POMPEY, Thank you. Captain. 
THE CAPT. I '11 report any boat, my lord. [Exit. 

Enter cornelia. 

CORN. Has the King sent? 

POMPEY. No. 

CORN. No answer? 

POMPEY. Not yet. 

CORN. Can he know we are here ? 

POMPEY. Yes. He will come. He will come in person. 

CORN. Why has he not come already? 

POMPEY. It is early. 

CORN. Do you think it is safe to wait? It is ominous. 
This silence. And all those ships. And the people crowd- 
ing on the roofs. What if the King be against us? 

POMPEY. He cannot be. Do not be afraid. 

Enter theophanes. 

THEOPHANES. Maguus. They have sent an order. We 
are not to send a boat ashore. They are plotting something. 

POMPEY. If they were plotting, they would ask us to 
come ashore. 

CORN. But why should we not send a boat, if they are 
friendly ? 

POMPEY. The King will be coming in person. Then 
there was plague in Cyprus. We have not got a clean bill. 

CORN. But to be ordered. 

THEO. The Admiral should have come. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 57 

POMPEY. This is a merchantman. We are not under 
Roman colours. 

CORN. The Captain there is anxious. Look at him. 

THEO. Ask him. 

POMPEY. I remember in my first war, in Africa. I had 
a young legate. 

He was like you, Theophanes. We were marching against 
a hill-tribe which lived on a crag. There was a gulch below 
the crag. Prisoners told us that the gulch was a raging 
spate, fifty feet deep. So my legate loaded his men with 
wood, and hides, and ropes. He was going to bridge the 
torrent. They marched many miles in the sun, dragging 
their loads. And the gulch was bone-dry, Theophanes. 
One could walk across it. And the troops arrived, too tired 
to climb the crag. Energy is for the great things. The 
rest of life is mechanics. 

It is necessary for the world that I see King Ptolemy. 
[The Captain flings down the halliard coil and goes 
helow. 

Strange. Is there any Cassius with Ptolemy? 

CORN. Lucius Cassius is dead, surely. 

THEO. There 's Quintus Cassius. But he is in Spain. 

CORN. Is there not Cneius Cassius? He was legate in 
one of Cgesar's legions? 

POMPEY. Cneius ? I thought he was killed ? 

THEO. I could find out. Sextus would know. 

POMPEY. No. Do not wake him. It is absurd. 

CORN. Why do you ask ? 

POMPEY. When I was in Africa, at that time, an old 
woman bade me beware of Cassius. I have not thought of 
it for thirty-four years. An old black hag. Sitting in the 
sun, there. By the ruins of Carthage. Geminius was rid- 
ing with me. She hobbled up on a crutch and plucked at 
my rein. ' Young captain. You beware of Cassius. You 
that ride so proud, beware of Cassius. The sand is falling.' 

CORN. Why should you think of that now ? 

POMPEY. Because I am going to victory, as I was then. 

[The Hands come aft. 

THE MATE [jolloiving']. Get down off the poop. If you 
want anything, send a man aft. 

1st hand. Begging your pardon, your honour. We 
want to speak. 

2nd hand. We mean to speak. 

3rd hand. We want to know why we 're brought here. 



58 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

4th hand. And how long we 're to stay here. 

2nd hand. He 's been beaten. 

4th hand. He 's got no friends. Our lives are as good 
to ns as his is. 

the mate. Down off the poop ! Down with you ! Bosun, 
there ! [Struggling. 

POMPEY. What is the matter? 

[Struggling ends. Pause. 

1st hand. Begging your pardon, your honour. We 
wanted to see the Captain. 

POMPEY [to the Mate]. What is their grievance? 

the mate. Some more of their fancies, my lord. [To 
the Hands.] Get over to leeward. 

POMPEY. They seem a good lot. What is it? 

THE mate. Oh, the Captain '11 soon settle it, my lord. 
[To the Hands.] You wait. 

[Exit by hatch to find Captain, Pause, pompey taTces 
a half turn, and then speaks. 

POMPEY [to Hands]. Of what do you complain? 

1st hand. Begging your pardon, your honour. We 'd 
rather wait for tlie Captain. 

POMPEY. What is wrong, though ? Tell me. 

1st hand. I 'd rather not say, my lord. 

POMPEY [takes a half turn, and speaks again]. Come. 
Wliat is the trouble ? Is it the food ? Or the drink ? 

1st hand. Begging your pardon, your honour. We 
don't like the look of tilings. 

POMPEY. What things? 

1st hand. Begging your honour's pardon, the ships 
there. 

2nd hand. They 're getting ready to sink us. 

POMPEY. Why do you think that? 

3rd hand. You can see the soldiers going aboard them, 
can't you? 

1st hand [to 3rd]. Here now. Here. 

3rd hand [to 1st]. What's wrong? It's the truth. 
Isn't it? 

POMPEY. So they are going aboard to sink us? Why 
should they sink us ? 

3rd hand. Because you 're aboard us. [He stands out.] 
You 're not wanted here. You 're no good to Ptolemy. 
Cffisar 's the man, now, not you. You 're no more than 
what we are. 

[To the Hands.] And we're to be drowned, are we, 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 59 

because his mightiness that was is worth more dead than 
alive? He's down. He's no one. He's had fellows die 
for him for forty years. It 's time he learned what it feels 
like himself. 

4th hand. That 's what I say. 

3rd hand. Come on ! 

2nd hand. Man the halliards. 

3rd hand. We '11 carry you to Caesar. And sell you. 

POMPEY. Stand back ! 

You say that the soldiers are coming to sink us? 

There are five thousand troops there, and fifty ships. 

Are they all coming to sink us? 

It seems a large force to sink one ship, manned by such 
a company. 

3rd hand. Here. Look here ! 

1st hand. \i[to 3rd]. You '11 get us hanged. 

2nd hand. K Give him sheet. 



>• I 



4th hand. '■ { How about us ? That 's what I say. 
POMPEY. If I am still so terrible, I must save you. I 
will go to the flagship yonder. Man your boat. 
3rd hand. You will go to the flagship? 
1st hand [alarmedl. Look at her. There. 
4th hand. Look. 

2nd hand. Look at her. She 's got her oars out. 
1st hand. She's coming. We're gone up. 
1st hand [holding him]. iSTo, you don't. 
3rd hand. Then he '11 go first. ' 

Enter Captain. 

the capt. She 's coming, my lord. Shall I cut ? We 
might do it, even now. 

POMPEY. She is not coming. And if she were, what is 
death ? 

THE CAPT. Hard times for the widow, my lord. 

POMPEY [to the meii]. Leave the ropes. 

Do you think the soul can be quenched with water? Or 
cut with swords ? Or burned ? 

3rd HAND. I know my body can, my lord. 

POMPEY. You do well to fear death. Go to your place. 

[Musingly.'] If death can crush what comprehends 
heaven ? Why ? We are in a bad way. Captain. 

[The Hands fie of. quietly, pompey lools down on 
the main decJc. The Captain stands apart anxiously 



60 THE TRAGEDY OP [act 

watching the flagship. Cornelia and theo-ptt * ^^T^r, 
eye each other. 

CORN. Is the flagship coming? 

THEO. She is ready to come. 

CORN. To sink us? 

THEO. She could sink us. 

CORN. I cannot bear this. 

[poMPEY turning, walls towards them. 

THEO. We ought to have gone to our fleet. We 're help- 
less like this. 

CORN. Magnus. This is n't what we planned. 

POMPEY. Let me reassure you. Egypt is friendly to 
me. 

I saved her independence. I made the elder Ptolemy 
King. The young King is my ward, bound to me by in- 
timate ties. Those troops are veterans of my Asian Army. 

THEO. The young King 's at his wits' end with civil 
war. How can he begin a war with Csesar? 

POMPEY. Csesar will begin a war with him whether he 
takes me or rejects me. Caesar wants Egypt, as Ptolemy 
very well knows. 

CORN, [bitterly]. And we are suppliants to him. We 
Romans. To whom they should strike their flags. [After 
a pause, quicMy.'] See if they refuse to salute us. 

THEO. We should know what to expect then. 

CORN. Oh, let us be certain. Hoist your colours. 

POMPEY. It is not time yet. I will hoist them when 
the watch ends. [The Captain strikes the hell once. 

THE CAPT. One bell, my lord. 

POMPEY. The watch is nearly out? 

THE CAPT. Nearly, my lord. Will you hoist any colours, 
my lord? 

POMPEY. My consular colours. 

THE CAPT. I 'm only a merchantman, my lord. If they 
should refuse to salute, my lord ? 

POMPEY. You will go alongside the flagship there, and 
order her to salute. 

THE CAPT. [going]. I am all ready to get under way, 
my lord. Bosun, there ! Stand by. Mr. Mate. Boy, there ! 
[He goes to the break of the poop and looks down on 
main deck. 

Are your colours bent on, Centurion ? 

CENTURION [off]. Tell him, yes. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 61 

BOY [off]. All ready to hoist, sir. 

THE CAPT. [coming to pompey]. All ready, my lord. 
Will you make eight bells, my lord ? 

POMPEY. When it is time. [He paces leisurely. 

Theophanes. Have you your tables ? 

THEO. Yes. 

POMPEY. I shall want you to take notes. 

[To CORNELIA.] What was that passage about the soul? 
We were reading it that day at Alba, when the women 
brought you their first-fruits? Our first year. We were 
in the garden. You were reading to me. There was a 
verse about the soul. 

CORN. The upright soul is safe? 

POMPEY. Yes. That was the verse. I have always 
loved Alba. I was there as a child. We were happy there, 
that year. 

CORN. Very happy. And that day. The doves came, 
picking the spilled grain. And at night there was a moon. 

POMPEY. All the quiet valley. And the owls were call- 
ing. Those little grey owls. Make eight bells. Captain. 
[The Captain makes it. The Bosun pipes the colours 
up. 

THE CAPT. Not so fast there, boy. 

[Eight bells is echoed over the harbour from, ship to 
ship. POMPEY and theophanes raise their right 
hands. Perhaps Cornelia ought to veil. 

THEO. The flagship is hoisting her ensign. [Bugles off. 

corn. Will she salute? Will she salute? There. 

THEO. There. She dips it. 

CORN. They all salute. 

THEO. Then we are safe. 

POMPEY. That is settled, then. I am to be received. 

Now to work. 

Captain, there. 

THE CAPT. Yes, my lord. 

POMPEY. What water have you? 

THE CAPT. In the bay here, my lord? Three fathoms. 
Further in there 's mudbanks. 

POMPEY. I mean in cask aboard? 

THE CAPT. Oh. A matter of four days, my lord. 

POMPEY. Good. When I go ashore, you will proceed at 
once to Corfu, with your utmost speed. I give you four 
days. 



63 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

THE CAPT, To Corfu? Very good, my lord. 

[Goes apart. 

POMPEY. Theophanes. You will go in this ship to my 
son at Corfu. Order his fleet to sea ai once. He is to seize 
Crete. He is then to cruise between Rhodes and Crete, to 
impeach Caesar on his way here. 

THEO. It is a bad season for a fleet to be cruising. 

POMPEY. War 's an affair of bad seasons. There was 
never yet a favourable moment for anything. 

THEO. Very good. Am I to join your son? 

POMPEY. No. You will go on to Durazzo, to Cato. 
Order Cato to come here with all the troops and stores in 
his charge. 

Octavius is at Durazzo with a fleet. 

Half the fleet will transport Cato's command. The other 
half will sail to join Cneius. 

Octavius must sail instantly, even without water. 

If he raises difficulties, break him, and give the command 
to Coponius. 

That will put two fleets between Caesar and Egypt. 

They should be on their stations in ten days. 

THEO. Why not attack Ctesar in Ephesus? 

POMPEY. No. I want the war kept out of Asia at all 
costs. 

They will catch Caesar at sea, with half his troops seasick. 
WHien they fall in with him, they are to engage him, at 
whatever disadvantage. I will send them supplies from 
here. 

CORN. But Cffisar will come from Cyprus, as we came? 
Ships stationed off Crete will miss him. They will be too 
far to the west. 

POMPEY. Caesar is collecting transport at Ephesus till 
he learns that we have left Syria. \^Tien he hears that, he 
will guess that we have come here, and that the King has 
received us. He will see the danger. He will strike in- 
stantly, with whatever troops he may have. And he will 
strike at the strategic heart, which is the capital, Alexandria. 

I am arranging the fleets so that he may never pass Crete. 

Yes. Now. Theophanes. In case Caesar should return 
to Rome, before coming here. Laelius is blockading Brin- 
disi. Cassius will be at Messina, blockading the Straits. 

From Durazzo you must sail to Brindisi. See Laelius. 
Tell him my dispositions. Order him to press the blockade 
at all hazards lest C^sar should travel overland through 



Ill] POMPEY THE GREAT 63 

Macedonia. Then go to Cassius. You will find him at 
Messina. Order him to cruise off Point Malea, lest Caesar 
should come by sea. You understand my orders? 

THEO. Yes. 

POMPEY. If, in spite of these precautions, Caesar should 
evade the fleets and come here, I shall attack him with 
Cato's men. 

THEO. And the ships here ? 

POMPEY. No. The Egyptians must not think that they 
are being used to fight my quarrels. 

If, on the other hand, Caesar should reach Rome, he will 
organise a campaign against us. 

He could come by sea. I can hold the sea. 

He could come by Africa. I can hold Africa. 

He could come by Syria. We must get hold of Syria. 
I shall send to Pharnaces, King of Pontus. He must seize 
Antioch and hold Syria for us. 

CORN. But that is giving power to Rome's bitterest 
enemy. It will break our hold on Asia. 

POMPETT. The problem now is to keep Rome out of Asia. 
Rome is dead. 

CORN. What are you going to do, then? Why do you 
come here? 

POiiiPEY. Not to ask for troops. I come here because 
Egypt is the key to Rome. Where the wealth is, the govern- 
ment must be. Sooner or later, Rome will be rebuilt on 
that site. 

The Egyptians know that. They fear us. If I had come 
with a fleet they would have attacked us. 

THEO. Coming alone, you have put yourself into their 
power. 

POMPEY. Life requires a dignity. 

If Ptolemy fear me, I can reassure him. I can give him 
power. I have only to restore order here to make Egypt 
the greatest power in the world. She is the granary of the 
world. All the trade of the East passes through her. Rome 
is her one possible enemy. I can guard her from Rome. 

Rome on the other hand is torn to pieces with civil war. 
She is threatened by Ganl and German. Her food supply 
is at the mercy of the first pirate with the wit to organise. 
Her wealth is in the East here, where she can neither govern 
it nor protect it. A strong power in the East has Rome by 
the throat. Egypt shall be that power. 

I have no part in Rome henceforth. She must settle to 



64 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

her shame with the bully who wins her. I shall re-make the 
idea of Eome here. 

CORN. Cneius. I am foolish. These days are breaking 
my heart. Listen. Ptolemy is a boy. You are coming to 
be a master over him. He will fear you and hate you and 
betray you. 

POMPEY. Look at it calmly. 

CORN. I cannot look at it calmly. I am frightened. 

POMPEY. This is Ptolemy's last chance of saving Egypt's 
independence. If he receive me, I will make Egypt a power. 
If he reject me, Cassar will run no risks. This will be a 
Eoman province within six months. Ptolemy must see 
that. 

CORN. Ptolemy will only see what his ministers make 
him see. What is to happen to us if Ptolemy rejects you? 

POMPEY. We are men. 

THEO. Magnus, I have a suggestion to make. Whatever 
happens, whether we give up Eome or not, we have first to 
destroy Caesar. You have two strong armies with King 
Juba. Why not go to them now instead of waiting the 
pleasure of an Egyptian boy? 

POMPEY. King Juba is a savage. Shall I wait King 
Juba's pleasure? 

THEO. Mettellus has joined King Juba. 

POMPEY. He degrades his house and city, then. 

CORN. See Cato before you act. 

THEO. Or go to Cato. Make your naval dispositions as 
you suggest. But join your forces. Come to Ptolemy when 
Cassar is destroyed. Come with a conquering fleet. 

POMPEY. That is how the wolf wooed the kid. But the 
marriage was a failure. 

THEO. As I was saying just now, in our present state 
we are not even safe from insult. 

POMPEY. An upright soul is safe. 

CORN. Take me out of this horrible place. The moun- 
tain there is like a skull. A skull in a scurf of sand. Look 
at it. 

POMPEY. I must be here. The King expects me. If 
I draw back here Liberty will be stamped out. Life will be 
baser all over the world. 

THE CAPT. I beg pardon, my lord. I think his Majesty 
the King is coming off to fetch you. The barge is putting 
off, my lord. 

THEO. She is past the jetty. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 65 

THE CAPT. Side-boys there, Mr. ]\Iate, Stand by, bosun, 
to pipe the side. [Enter Side-bo5's who line up by port 
gangivay.'] Be ready, all of you, to salute his Majesty. 

[coTTA, PHILIP, and others enter. 

THEO. Is that the King? Is that Ptolemy? 

COKN. So he is coming. 

POMPEY. Tlieophanes. Cfesar has friends in Arabia. 
Longus. Where is Longus? 

THEO. He had a night guard. He is below. 

POMPEY. There must be a league of all the Asian powers 
to resist Fioman aggression. I shall hold Egypt, the left. 
The King of Arabia must hold the centre. Longus must 
go to Arabia to win tlie King. See to that, Theophanes. 

THEO. I will call him. 

POMPEY. Wait. Pharnaces must hold our right, Syria 
and Armenia. AVhom can we send to Pharnaces? Gellius 
must go to Pharnaces. They would agree. They are both 
famous horsemen. Yes. Gellius. Pharnaces must attack 
Antioch at once. 

THEO. Antioch will be open to the sea, remember. 

POMPEY. The fleets will blockade Antioch after attack- 
ing Cissar. You have everything? You understand. 

THEO. Yes. 

THE CAPT. [approaching']. Another boat is putting off 
from the shore, my lord. 

POMPEY [looling']. What is she? 

THE CAPT. Looks like one of the pearl-boats, my lord, 
which work the pearl-beds here. 

POMPEY. Something of the kind. Is the King within 
hail ? 

THE CAPT. [looJdng']. Kearly, my lord. 

POMPEY. Thank you. Captain. 

[To CORX'ELIA.] You come with me. 

Theophanes. You will sail directly I leave you. 

Eemember. The fleets must take up their positions at 
cnce. So. Good fortune! Xow for the King. 

THE CAPT. She is within hail now, my lord, if you '11 
give the word. 

POMPEY. Salute. 

THE CAPT. Hands! Salute. [The Bosun pipes. A 
Boy langs the hell. The Bugler makes a sorry noise.] Dis- 
play your streamers. 

THEO. [in a pause of the noise]. She does not answer. 



66 THE TEAGEDY OF [act 

CORN. She is going past us. 

THEO. She is going to the flagship. 

POMPET. Cease that noise there. 

THEO. Wait. 

CORN. She has gone alongside the flagship. 

THEO. The King was smiling. 

CORN. It was an insult. 

COTTA. Dismiss. Break away, there ! 

POMPEY. As you were. 

THE CAPT. My lord. Shall I put to sea? 

POMPEY. No. Wait the King's pleasure. 

CORN. We are flouted by a boy of thirteen. 

POMPEY. Wait. Let us see what he will do. What do 
you think ? 

THEO. It was deliberate. It was like a blow in the face. 

POMPEY. It was not that. He is a boy. My reception 
will be unpopular. He is trying to reassure his admiral. 
[Going to Cornelia.] Uncertainty is worse to bear than 
defeat. You must do what I always did before a battle 
began. Imagine the sea. Any sea, rough or smooth. Im- 
agine that you are sailing across it, in a straight course. 

CORN. Just as they teach us to bear pain? 

POMPEY. The mind is always stronger than its material. 

the CAPT. Will you look at that other boat, my lord ? 

POMPEY. She is not coming here ? 

the CAPT. She is pulling this way, my lord. 

CORN. She is a fishing-boat. What can she want? 

THEO. Bringing us fish, perhaps. They supply ships 
coming from the sea. Is not that so. Captain? 

THE CAPT. It is so, my lord. Bread and fish and figs. 

The King is putting off from the flagship, my lord. 

POMPEY. What will he do? 

THEO. Is he coming here, now? 

CORN. Wait. 

THE CAPT. She 's turning. No. There. 

THEO. She 's rowing ashore. 

POMPEY. He is not coming here. What do you make 
of it, Cornelia? You think he means to insult me. It is 
impossible. He has only two courses, to accept me or to 
kill me. To insult me. It would be too childish. Well. 
Wait. 

THE CAPT. My lord. About this other boat that's 



coming. 



POMPEY. What do you make qf her ? 



Ill] POMPEY THE GEEAT 67 

THE CAPT. They pull very badly, my lord. They pull 
like soldiers. 

POMPEY. They are soldiers. I see the gleam of armour. 

THEO. Seven soldiers. 

THE CAPT. Am I to let them alongside, my lord? 

POMPEY. Wait. 

CORN. What can they be coming for? 

POMPEY. What is the King doing? 

THEO. He is stepping ashore. 

POMPEY. Now he stands facing us, under an awning. 
Can he want me to go ashore to him ? 

THEO. Has he sent that rotten old boat for you? 

CORN. You cannot go in that old boat. 

THEO. Magnus. There is some treachery. 

CORN. Cneius. It is a dreadful risk. To stay. 

POMPEY. It is necessary. I must carry this thing 
through. You would rather I ran the risk than let the 
world become — what it will become. 

CORN. Much rather. 

POMPEY. You will understand, then. 

THE CAPT. They are hailing, my lord. Would the lady 
go below a little ? They might fling a dart on board. 

CORN. The air is fresher here. 

SEPTiMius [offl- Hail! Pompey. Imperator. 

THE CAPT. We could still run for it, my lord. 

POMPEY. We must not show that we mistrust them. 

SEPT. [off]. Hail, Pompey, Imperator ! 

POMPEY. Have your men ready to salute. 

SEPT. [off]. In bow. 

CORN. Cneius. Cneius. 

POMPEY. There is no danger. Have you the little book 
with my speech to Ptolemy ? 

CORN, Here it is. 

SEPT. [off]. Toss your starboard oars. Way enough. 

POMPEY. Company there. Salute. 

THE CAPT. The call, there. 

Enter septimius, a Roman military tribune, with Achillas 
EGYPTIAN, both in military dress. The Bosun pipes 
the side for each of them. 

POMPEY [advancing]. You come from King Ptolemy? 

[septimius salutes, Achillas bows. 
ACHILLAS. From King Ptolemy. He send you royal 
greeting. 



68 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

POMPEY. He wishes to see me? 

ACHiL. He wish to see you. To be your friend. 

POMPEY. Shall I bring the ship alongside the quay 
there ? 

ACHIL. There is much mud and sandbanks. There 
would be no water for this galley. You have to take a 
boat. 

POMPEY ^glancing at ships']. Your fleet is getting under 
way here? 

ACHIL. [shrugging his shoulders']. Ah? Will you come 
into my boat ? 

POMPEY. She is not a very handsome boat. 

ACHIL. No ? It is bad weather sometimes. 

POMPEY [to SEPTiMius]. I think I should know you, 
my friend. You and I have served together ? 

[sEPTiMius nods, hut does not answer. 

Wliere was it ? I know your face. [No answer. 

A long time ago. Eighteen years ago. In the war against 
the pirates? [Pause.] Was it not? [No ansiver. 

You commanded a company in my guard. [Pause.] 
You did something? You burnt a ship one night? You 
paddled out alone and set fire to her? I remember you. 
I gave you a sword. You are wearing it now. 

SEPT. [turning to the hoat, muttering to himself]. I'm 
as good a man as you are. 

ACHIL. You come in my little boat. I take you to the 
King. The King is your friend. Lovely lady, the King 
want to see him. 

CORN. Yes. ' 

POMPEY. I will follow you. Go down into the boat. 
[ACHILLAS, bowing, goes to gangiuay, where he stands, 
looking aft. 

POMPEY. Now. 

THEO. Magnus. You must n't go. 

CORN. Cneius. Cneius. What do they mean ? 

THEO. You must n't go, Magnus. 

POMPEY. My beloved ! You must stay here. You must 
not come. 

CORN. My darling! ^^^^at are they going to do? 

POMPEY. What God wills. 

Theophanes. If this is the end, I wish it to be the end. 
Those arrangements of the fleet. Cancel them. You un- 
derstand. Go to Cato. Tell Cato to siibmit to Ca-sar. War 
will only mean more bloodshed. He cannot stand against 
Caesar. I could have. 



Ill] POMPEY THE GREAT 69 

Scipio's daughter. Make your father submit to Cffisar. 
Keep my sons out of it. Tell them. End the war. Life is 
very grand, but there is something behind it. Something 
which strikes a mean. I had my hand on it. Come. Cour- 
age. These are Egyptians. [To Cornelia.] 

Captain. You must sail. Stand by. 

What else is there ? Asia. Theophanes. Asia must sub- 
mit. Send to the Kings. The world must make what 
terms it can. This is all in the event. If this is the end. 
You understand? If not, you know my orders. 

Philip. Scythes. Cotta. Go down into the boat. 

PHILIP. My lord. I 've served you a long time, my lord. 

POMPEY. What is it, Philip? [cotta and scythes go. 

PHILIP. My lord. My old, beloved lord. 

POMPEY. Why, Philip. We are the only ones left. We 
are two old Sulla's men. Have you my cloak in the boat? 

PHILIP. Forty years, my lord. 

POMPEY. The broidered one. [To Cornelia.] Your 
gift. Come. Carry it down, man. 

PHILIP. I wish it was to begin all over again. [Exit. 

achil. Will you come into the boat? The King is 
waiting. 

CORN. Cneius. ]\ry husband. My husband. 

POMPEY. God only lends us. 

If the King keep faith. We shall have time. Time for 
what we must imagine. If not. We know our love. The 
gods treasure you. [He goes towards gangway. 

Eemember, Captain. 

Theophanes. If I fail, you must warn Lentulus. 

[He goes to gangway. The Bosun starts to pipe the 
side. POMPEY turns to the Boy. Bo'sun stops his 
pipe. POMPEY taJces figs from fife-rail and gives 
them to the Boy. 

Can you eat figs? [The Boy mumbles. 

What is your name? [The Boy bursts into tears. 

ACHIL. [at gangway^. Give me your hand. I take your 
hand down. 

POMPEY [pausing in the gangway and looMng bacJc. 
Sadly. To Theophanes]. 

' Into a tyrant's court the truly brave 
Goes proudly, though he go to die a slave.' 

[He goes down. The Bo'sun pipes the side. 

SEPT. [coldly]. Back your port oars. Shove off. Give 
way together. 



70 THE TRAGEDY OF [act 

THE CAPT. [softly to Mate]. Go on there. Man your 
halliards. 

THE MATE. Take the turns off. Stretch it along. Softly 
now. Stand by. 

[The Seamen coming behind Cornelia, man the hal- 
liards. The Chantvman stands on the bitts. All 
look after the boat. 
THE CHANTY. There 's a lot of troops ashore. 

THE MATE. S's't. 

CORN. They are not talking to him. 

THEO. He is reading his speech. [Pause.] He organ- 
ises everything. Cresar improvises. 

CORN. There they go out of the sun. 

THEO. The hill casts a long shadow. 

CORN. What is the name of the hill? 

THE CAPT. Mount Cassius, lady. 

THEO. [quicMy']. They are coming with banners. Look. 

CORN. He is safe. 

THEO. There comes the King. Hark!* Trumpets. 
They 're' saluting. He is standing up to land. 

CORN. Ah ! Swords. He is stabbed. 

THEO. Ah ! you gods. You gods ! 

CORN. Oh ! He is killed ! He is killed ! He is killed ! 

[She collapses. 

THEO. [covering his eyes']. The devils! The devils! 

THE MATE. They stabbed him in the back. 

ANTISTIA. It 's ebb-tide now, my beauty. 

THE CAPT. [yelling']. Cut the cable. 

[Chopping forward. 

A VOICE. All gone, the cable. 

TI-IE MATE. Let fall. 

A VOICE. All gone. 

THE MATE. Sheet home. Hoist away. 

THE MEN. Ho. [They haul. 

THE CHANTY. Away ho ! [The Men haul. 

[He intones in a clear loud voice. The Seamen sing 

the chorus, hauling. 
[TJiis song is sung lil-e an ordinary halliard chanty. 
The chorus is to the tune of the old chanty of 
' Hanging Johnny.' The solo will be intoned clearly, 
without tune. It goes to fast time, the chorus start- 
ing almost before the soloist ends his line. The Men 
must haul tivice, in the proper manner, in each 
chorus. The hauling will have for natural accom- 



Ill] POMPEY THE GREAT 71 

paniments the whine of the three-sheaved 'block, 'the 
grunt of the parrels and the slat from the great sail. 

THE CHANTY. 

Kneel to the beautiful women who bear us this strange 

brave fruit. 
THE MEN. Away, i-oh. 

THE CHANTY. 

Man with his soul so noble: man half god and half 

brute. 
THE MEN. So away, i-oh. 

THE CHANTY. 

Women bear him in pain that he may bring them tears. 

CHORUS. 

THE CHANTY. 

He is a king on earth, he rules for a term of years. 

CHORUS. 
THE CHANTY. 

And the conqueror s prize is dust and lost endeavour. 

CHORUS. 
THE CHANTY. 

And the beaten man becomes a story for ever. 

CHORUS. 
THE CHANTY. 

For the gods employ strange means to bring their will 
to be. 

CHORUS. 
THE CHANTY. 

We are in the wise gods' hands and more we cannot see. 
CHORUS. So away, i-oh. 
A VOICE. High enough, 
THE MATE. Lie to. [The Seamen lay to the falLI Make 

fast. 
Coil up. 

A VOICE. All clear to seaward. 
THE CAPT. Pipe down. [The Bosun pipes the belay. 

Curtain. 



72 THE TEAGEDY OF 



NOTES 

ON THE APPEARANCE OF POMPEY. 

Portraits exist of Cneius Pompeius Magnus. The most important 
of these is a marble bust at Copenhagen. Several likenesses are 
to be found on the gold and silver coins struck by his son, Sextus, 
in Spain. Plutarch says of him that, ' being come to man's state, 
there appeared in his gesture and behaviour a grave and princely 
majesty. His hair also stood a little upright, and the cast and 
soft moving of his eyes, had a certain resemblance (as they said) 
of the statues and images of Alexander the Great.' This resem- 
blance may still be traced. 

At the time of his murder he was fifty-eight years old, a power- 
ful, very active man, in the prime of life. His bust, evidently 
done towards the end of his life, shows that his hair, which was 
tliick, coarse, and worn rather long, still tended to stand a little up- 
right. Tlie head is of great breadth at the eyes. The brow is low, 
and lined with three deep lines of wrinkles going right across it in 
irregular M shape. The eyebrows are well marked: the supra- 
orbital ridge is hea\'y. The nose is full and strong, with the broad 
base which is so good an index of intellectual power. The septum 
is of great breadth. The mouth is of that kindly tightness which 
one sees in the portraits of some of our Admirals. Below the mouth 
is a deep horizontal dent. The chin is not cloven. The face is lined 
a good deal. A deep straight wrinkle runs from each side of the 
nose to the puckered angles of the mouth. The eyes are crows- 
footed. There are no indications as to the colour of the hair and 
eyes. The shape of the head suggests the brown or fair type of 
man. At tlie time of his death he was perhaps grizzled. 

No known portrait exists of any of the other characters. Metel- 
lus came of a family once distinguished for pointed noses, Domitius 
of a family once famed for red hair. Cornelia was famous for a 
grave and gentle beauty. She was young, tliough already a widow, 
wlien Pompey married her, a few months before the civil trouble 
began. 

ON THE FATE OF THE PERSONS IN THIS TRAGEDY. 

Philip. After religiously burning his master's body on the sea- 
shore, disappears from history. 

MeteUus Hcipio. Fled from Pharsalia to Africa, where he car- 
ried on the war until 46 B.C., when he was defeated by CiJesar at 
Thapsus. Flying from Africa by sea, in bad weather, he was 
forced to put into the port of Hippo, where one of Caesar's fleets 



A 



POMPEY THE GREAT 73 

lay at anchor. A battle followed. He is said to have drowned 
himself shortly before his ship was sunk. 

Cn. Pompeius Theophanes. Returned to Italy, and was pardon- 
ed by Csesar. He attained great fame as a writer. After his 
death the Lesbians paid him divine honours. His son held office 
under Augustus. 

Marcus Cato. After Pharsalia, joined Scipio in Africa, and 
held command under liim. He killed himself in Utica, shortly 
after the battle of Thapsus, so that he might not live to see the 
final extinction of liberty. His son was killed at Philippi, ' val- 
iantly fighting against Augustus,' four years later. 

Lucius Domitius Ahenoharhus. Was killed (some say by Mark 
Antony) either in the battle, or in the rout, of Pharsalia, at which 
he commanded the great brigade of horse, on the left of Pompey's 
army. 

Marcus Acilius Glabrio. Continued in Caesar's service, and rose 
to be governor of Achaia. 

Lucius Lucceius. Returned to Rome, and received Caesar's par- 
don. He was praised by Cicero for the excellence of his historical 
writings. 

Lucius Afranius. After Pharsalia, joined Scipio in Africa, and 
held command under him, till the battle of Thapsus. While riding 
through Mauretania, on his way to Spain, after that disaster, he 
was ambushed and taken by Caesar's lieutenant, P. Sitius. A few 
days later, the troops of Sitius killed him in a camp riot. 

Lentulus Siyinther. After Pharsalia, fled to Rhodes, where he 
was refused permission to land. He set sail again ' much against 
his will,' and either ' perished ingloriously ' or disappeared from 
history. 

Achillas Egyptian. Was killed by Arsinoe ( Ptolemy's sister) 
and the eunuch Ganymed in the year after Pompey's murder. 



ON THE HOUSE OF POMPEY, AFTER THE MURDER. 

Cornelia. After seeing her hiisband killed, fied to Cyrene, and 
thence to Rome, where, in time, Pompey's ashes were brought to 
her. She is said to have buried them ' in a town of hers by the city 
of Alba,' in Liguria. 

Cn. Pompeius Magnus, tlie Triumvir's eldest son, by his third 
wife, Mucia, held Corcyra for a time, showing courage and bold 
strategic ideas. On hearing of his father's death, he went to 
Spain, where he raised a great army. He was defeated at the bloody 
battle of Munda, in the year 45. Soon after the battle, he was 
betrayed, taken and killed. His head was carried to Seville and 
exposed there to the public gaze. 

Sextus Pompeius Magnus. The younger son (also by INIucia) 
continued the war in Africa, with Cato's party, till after the battle 
of Thapsus. He then joined his brother in Spain. After Caesar's 
murder, he was proscribed by Octavian, and took the seas, with a 
fleet, burning, sinking and intercepting commerce, till Octavian 
came to terms. On the recommencement of war between them, his 
fleet was beaten by Octavian's fleet under Agrippa. After trying 
vainly to beat up a force in Asia, he was taken and put to death 
at Miletus ( probably by the order of Mark Antony ) in the year 35. 



7-i THE TEAGEDY OF 

He left a daughter whose fate is uncertain. She was with him in 
Asia in 36. 

Pompeia. The daughter (also by Mucia) married Faustus, the 
son of Sulla, who was killed with^^franius in the mutiny of the 
troops of P. Sitius. in Africa in 40. She afterwards married L. 
Cornelius Cinna. It is not known when she died; but it is certain 
that she predeceased her brother, Sextus. She had a son by Cor- 
nelius Cinna, who came to be Consul in a.d. 5. What became of 
her children by Faustus is not known. 



POMPEY THE GEEAT 75 



And all their passionate hearts are dust, 
And dust the great idea that burned 
In various flames of love and lust 
Till the world's brain was turned. 

God, moving darkly in men's brains. 
Using their passions as his tool. 
Brings freedom with a tyrant's chains 
And wisdom with the fool. 

Blindly and bloodily we drift, 
Our interests clog our hearts with dreams. 
God make my brooding soul a rift 
Through which a meaning gleams. 

Feb. S, 1908. Juhj 5, 1909. 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



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